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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 120 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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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: bat · dip · rule · deal · firm · foot · bay · key

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. rule — a law
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. key — the most important part
  8. rule — government
  9. firm — a company
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. dip — to sink
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. key — in music
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. key — for a lock
  18. deal — to handle
  19. bat — the animal
  20. firm — decided
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. foot — a measure
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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