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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. drill — army training
  3. drill — a practice
  4. bass — the fish
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. ground — crushed
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. key — the most important part
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. ground — the earth
  16. key — in music
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. key — for a lock
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. drill — the tool
  22. bass — low music
  23. date — the fruit
  24. hide — animal skin

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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