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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. court — of law
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. spring — the season
  8. plane — a tool
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. court — for sport
  11. shower — to wash
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. cue — a signal
  14. key — for a lock
  15. cue — for pool
  16. spring — a coil
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. spring — of water
  19. cue — a hint
  20. key — the most important part
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. shower — rain
  23. court — of a king
  24. plane — in geometry

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