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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. band — a ring
  4. march — the month
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bore — to drill
  8. key — the most important part
  9. firm — a company
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. firm — decided
  12. key — for a lock
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. bore — to tire
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. chair — a leader
  18. band — a music group
  19. firm — steady
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. march — the month
  24. march — music

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