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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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. key — for a lock
  3. spring — the season
  4. race — a contest
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. key — in music
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. track — a path
  9. drill — a practice
  10. race — the arms race
  11. track — to keep track
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. key — the most important part
  14. drill — the tool
  15. mug — a face
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. mug — a cup
  18. mug — to rob
  19. race — humankind
  20. date — the fruit
  21. track — a song
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. spring — a coil
  24. spring — of water

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