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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. squash — to crush
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — the fish
  5. fine — high quality
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. prune — to trim
  8. fine — all right
  9. key — the most important part
  10. key — for a lock
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. band — a music group
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bore — to tire
  20. squash — the sport
  21. band — a ring
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. prune — to trim
  24. bore — to drill

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