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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: game · key · toast · lie · bay · field · current · row

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. field — farmland
  5. field — for sport
  6. lie — to recline
  7. field — a subject
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. key — in music
  10. toast — bread
  11. game — a match
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. key — for a lock
  14. row — a line
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. current — happening now
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. current — electric
  20. current — of water
  21. row — to paddle
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. key — the most important part

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