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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. drill — a practice
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. key — for a lock
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. content — the amount
  10. drill — the tool
  11. bank — of a river
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. key — in music
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. bank — for money
  18. wax — to grow
  19. content — happy
  20. drill — army training
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. bank — for money
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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