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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: board · mouse · kid · can · bay · mug · key · cold

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. key — in music
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. mug — to rob
  5. board — to get on
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — a tin
  9. mug — a face
  10. board — a committee
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. kid — to tease
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. can — to be able to
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. mug — a cup
  19. kid — child
  20. key — the most important part
  21. cold — an illness
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. cold — not warm
  24. key — for a lock

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