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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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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: key · clip · pass · fine · bay · wind · bear · season

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. clip — a video
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. pass — a permit
  6. fine — high quality
  7. key — the most important part
  8. bear — the animal
  9. season — in sport
  10. clip — for paper
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. key — for a lock
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. fine — all right
  17. clip — to cut
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. wind — moving air
  22. key — in music
  23. wind — moving air
  24. season — of the year

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