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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: object · fine · bay · ball · chest · key · land · lie

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. object — a thing
  3. object — to protest
  4. key — for a lock
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. fine — all right
  9. land — to come down
  10. chest — of your body
  11. ball — a great time
  12. land — ground
  13. fine — high quality
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. key — the most important part
  18. key — in music
  19. lie — to recline
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. land — a country
  22. object — an aim
  23. chest — of your body
  24. chest — a box

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