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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 120 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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. key — for a lock
  3. kid — child
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. craft — boats
  7. track — a song
  8. track — to keep track
  9. craft — a skill
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. key — the most important part
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bulb — for light
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. capital — money
  17. track — a path
  18. capital — a city
  19. key — in music
  20. kid — to tease
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. bulb — for light

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