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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: pit · land · can · pass · lie · key · bay · stand

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. key — the most important part
  3. pit — in a race
  4. can — a tin
  5. stand — to bear
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. pass — a permit
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. can — to be able to
  12. key — for a lock
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. land — to come down
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. lie — to recline
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. pit — a hole
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. key — in music
  23. land — a country
  24. can — a tin

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