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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. cell — in biology
  3. capital — money
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. key — the most important part
  7. rush — hurry
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. toast — bread
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. capital — a city
  13. object — an aim
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. stand — to bear
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. key — in music
  20. cell — a phone
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. object — to protest
  24. object — a thing

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