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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.

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: wave · bay · ground · last · key · ball · file · club

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. file — a tool
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ground — crushed
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. ground — a position
  8. file — a document
  9. key — the most important part
  10. key — in music
  11. file — a line of people
  12. ground — the earth
  13. ball — a great time
  14. club — for golf
  15. last — finally
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. club — a group
  19. last — to go on
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. key — for a lock
  22. club — for dancing
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. last — final

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