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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: bay · foot · drill · leaves · mine · rock · stand · key

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. key — in music
  5. drill — a practice
  6. mine — for digging
  7. rock — music
  8. key — the most important part
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. drill — army training
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. stand — to bear
  16. drill — the tool
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. rock — a stone
  19. key — for a lock
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. foot — a measure
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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