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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.

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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: mouse · mark · clip · safe · key · rash · jam · bay

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. key — the most important part
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. clip — to cut
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. rash — a series
  8. clip — a video
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. key — in music
  12. mark — a trace
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. rash — hasty
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. key — for a lock
  22. clip — for paper
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. mark — to pay attention

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