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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. key — for a lock
  5. object — an aim
  6. club — for dancing
  7. object — to protest
  8. wake — a trail
  9. drill — army training
  10. club — a group
  11. present — the time now
  12. drill — the tool
  13. key — in music
  14. present — a gift
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. present — there
  17. club — for golf
  18. drill — a practice
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. object — a thing
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. mark — a trace
  23. mark — a grade
  24. key — the most important part

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