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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. hand — help
  4. mate — a friend
  5. drill — the tool
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. bulb — for light
  8. key — in music
  9. drill — army training
  10. mate — to breed
  11. charge — a price
  12. charge — electricity
  13. craft — a skill
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. hand — in cards
  17. bulb — for light
  18. drill — a practice
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. craft — boats
  21. mate — a partner
  22. charge — in control
  23. key — the most important part
  24. hand — part of the body

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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