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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. squash — the sport
  4. bear — the animal
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bear — the animal
  9. key — for a lock
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. scale — size or range
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. scale — in music
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. key — the most important part
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. kid — to tease
  20. squash — to crush
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. kid — child

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