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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. key — in music
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. drill — army training
  7. cue — a signal
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. wind — moving air
  10. field — for sport
  11. field — a subject
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — to be able to
  14. drill — the tool
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. field — farmland
  17. key — the most important part
  18. cue — a hint
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. drill — a practice
  21. cue — for pool
  22. wind — moving air
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. key — for a lock

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