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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. craft — boats
  7. key — in music
  8. chip — for betting
  9. last — final
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. chip — to eat
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. craft — a skill
  17. kick — in football
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. drill — army training
  20. key — for a lock
  21. drill — the tool
  22. key — the most important part
  23. last — finally
  24. last — to go on

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