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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. firm — steady
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. key — for a lock
  5. firm — a company
  6. key — in music
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bound — tied together
  9. charge — a price
  10. charge — in control
  11. charge — electricity
  12. bound — obliged
  13. scale — size or range
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. key — the most important part
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. bark — to shout
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. scale — in music
  24. bound — certain

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