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

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. key — in music
  5. foot — a measure
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. date — the fruit
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. key — the most important part
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. mark — a grade
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. rush — hurry
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. key — for a lock
  24. mark — a trace

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