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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
468
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: key · mouse · rash · cell · bay · bat · bass · fan

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. key — the most important part
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. cell — in biology
  10. cell — a phone
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bass — the fish
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. rash — a series
  16. bass — low music
  17. key — for a lock
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. bat — the animal
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. rash — hasty
  22. key — in music
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fan — a supporter

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