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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. last — final
  3. track — a song
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. tube — the underground
  6. fork — in a road
  7. craft — a skill
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. suit — clothes
  10. last — finally
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. craft — boats
  13. suit — to fit
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. suit — in cards
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. tube — a container
  19. last — to go on
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. key — in music
  22. track — to keep track
  23. key — the most important part
  24. track — a path

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