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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. pass — a permit
  7. key — the most important part
  8. key — in music
  9. fine — all right
  10. court — for sport
  11. lean — to bend
  12. content — the amount
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. cap — of ice
  15. cap — a lid
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. cap — a hat
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. court — of law
  21. court — of a king
  22. fine — high quality
  23. content — happy
  24. lean — thin

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com