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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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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 · shower · key · rule · foot · mine · present · bay

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. foot — a measure
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. mine — for digging
  7. present — a gift
  8. present — the time now
  9. present — there
  10. shower — to wash
  11. rule — government
  12. spell — letters
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. key — the most important part
  15. spell — magic
  16. key — in music
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. rule — a law
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. key — for a lock
  23. spell — a short time
  24. shower — rain

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