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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: date · key · mark · wind · bay · snap · rest · pit

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. date — the fruit
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. rest — what's left
  8. mark — a trace
  9. pit — a hole
  10. rest — a break
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. wind — moving air
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mark — a grade
  16. snap — to click
  17. rest — what's left
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. wind — moving air
  20. pit — in a race
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. key — for a lock
  23. key — the most important part
  24. date — on the calendar

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