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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 assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. march — music
  3. key — the most important part
  4. deal — to handle
  5. suit — in cards
  6. key — in music
  7. march — the month
  8. court — of a king
  9. drill — the tool
  10. craft — boats
  11. march — the month
  12. court — for sport
  13. suit — to fit
  14. key — for a lock
  15. suit — clothes
  16. drill — a practice
  17. fine — high quality
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. court — of law
  22. craft — a skill
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. drill — army training

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