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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: saw · key · roll · firm · present · fan · prune · bay

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. firm — a company
  4. roll — a cake
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. saw — the tool
  7. key — for a lock
  8. key — in music
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. prune — to trim
  11. roll — a list
  12. firm — decided
  13. firm — steady
  14. key — the most important part
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. prune — to trim
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. present — a gift
  19. present — there
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. saw — the tool

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