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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. key — in music
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. track — a path
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. key — the most important part
  9. track — a song
  10. field — for sport
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. charge — a price
  13. key — for a lock
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. rock — a stone
  16. charge — in control
  17. rock — music
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. charge — electricity
  20. field — farmland
  21. field — a subject
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. track — to keep track
  24. rock — to move gently

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