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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: degree · deal · key · pop · firm · bay · bore · leaves

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. firm — a company
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. pop — soda
  5. key — for a lock
  6. degree — temperature
  7. degree — an amount
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. degree — from a university
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. firm — decided
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. bore — to tire
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. bore — to drill
  17. firm — steady
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. key — in music
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. deal — to handle
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. key — the most important part
  24. pop — to visit

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