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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: fan · mark · rush · sharp · rock · key · bat · bay

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. sharp — clever
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. mark — a grade
  5. rush — hurry
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. key — the most important part
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bat — the animal
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. rock — music
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. key — in music
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. key — for a lock
  21. rock — a stone
  22. mark — a trace
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. mark — to pay attention

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