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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: kid · snap · key · bear · bay · fall · club · safe

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. bear — the animal
  3. club — for dancing
  4. kid — to tease
  5. club — a group
  6. fall — the season
  7. key — for a lock
  8. bear — the animal
  9. fall — to drop
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. fall — to drop
  13. snap — to click
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. kid — child
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. club — for golf
  22. key — the most important part
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. bay — a horse colour

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