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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 124 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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. chip — to eat
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. root — of a plant
  5. scale — in music
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. pitch — completely
  8. charge — in control
  9. key — the most important part
  10. scale — size or range
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. charge — electricity
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. charge — a price
  15. root — the cause
  16. shower — rain
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. root — of a word
  20. key — in music
  21. key — for a lock
  22. chip — for betting
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. shower — to wash

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