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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. club — a group
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. can — a tin
  5. spell — a short time
  6. spell — letters
  7. key — for a lock
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. face — part of the head
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. snap — to click
  12. key — the most important part
  13. club — for dancing
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. key — in music
  16. face — to confront
  17. spell — magic
  18. club — for golf
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — to be able to
  24. face — to point toward

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