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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: spell · key · toast · bay · rash · cap · rock · date

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. date — the fruit
  5. rock — music
  6. cap — a lid
  7. spell — magic
  8. toast — bread
  9. key — for a lock
  10. rock — a stone
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. spell — letters
  14. key — the most important part
  15. key — in music
  16. spell — a short time
  17. cap — a hat
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. rash — a series
  20. rash — hasty
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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