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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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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: pass · content · trunk · suit · foot · bay · key · ball

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. key — for a lock
  4. content — happy
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. suit — to fit
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. suit — clothes
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. key — the most important part
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. suit — in cards
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. content — the amount
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. pass — a permit
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. key — in music
  22. foot — a measure
  23. ball — a great time
  24. trunk — of a tree

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