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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. drill — army training
  3. drill — a practice
  4. band — a ring
  5. sharp — clever
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. squash — the sport
  9. squash — to crush
  10. key — for a lock
  11. bear — the animal
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. bear — the animal
  16. drill — the tool
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. band — a music group
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. key — the most important part

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