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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 120 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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. game — a match
  4. key — the most important part
  5. cap — a hat
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. fork — in a road
  8. drill — army training
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. cap — a lid
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. cap — of ice
  13. charge — a price
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. key — for a lock
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. drill — the tool
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. key — in music
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. game — wild animals
  23. charge — in control
  24. charge — electricity

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