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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.

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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: key · bore · dip · bay · wave · stand · cue · lean

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. cue — a signal
  5. bore — to tire
  6. key — for a lock
  7. cue — a hint
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. bore — to drill
  10. lean — to bend
  11. lean — thin
  12. cue — for pool
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. key — the most important part
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. stand — to bear
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. dip — to sink

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