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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. rush — hurry
  3. season — in sport
  4. field — for sport
  5. bore — to tire
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. key — for a lock
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bank — of a river
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. field — a subject
  13. key — in music
  14. bank — for money
  15. season — of the year
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. key — the most important part
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. bank — for money
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. field — farmland

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