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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. file — a document
  4. key — for a lock
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. mark — a grade
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. club — for golf
  10. cap — a hat
  11. bass — low music
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. club — a group
  15. bass — the fish
  16. club — for dancing
  17. saw — the tool
  18. file — a line of people
  19. key — the most important part
  20. cap — a lid
  21. mark — a trace
  22. file — a tool
  23. cap — of ice
  24. saw — the tool

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