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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: band · bay · spring · date · key · chip · firm · leaves

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. key — for a lock
  3. band — a ring
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. chip — for betting
  6. firm — a company
  7. key — the most important part
  8. spring — a coil
  9. key — in music
  10. spring — of water
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. firm — steady
  13. band — a music group
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. spring — the season
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. firm — decided
  18. date — the fruit
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. chip — to eat
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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