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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. key — the most important part
  3. face — part of the head
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. face — to point toward
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. board — a committee
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. craft — boats
  13. season — of the year
  14. cue — a signal
  15. key — in music
  16. face — to confront
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. board — to get on
  20. season — in sport
  21. craft — a skill
  22. cue — a hint
  23. cue — for pool
  24. craft — a handicraft

Multiple-meaning words list

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

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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