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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. key — in music
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. suit — clothes
  5. suit — to fit
  6. key — the most important part
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. mine — for digging
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. stock — shares
  13. drill — a practice
  14. drill — the tool
  15. stock — goods
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. wake — a trail
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. key — for a lock
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. suit — in cards

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