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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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. key — the most important part
  3. bear — the animal
  4. fork — in a road
  5. drill — the tool
  6. rock — a stone
  7. row — to paddle
  8. drill — army training
  9. mine — for digging
  10. key — in music
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. toast — bread
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. bear — the animal
  17. drill — a practice
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. key — for a lock
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. rock — music
  24. toast — the most admired

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