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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. key — the most important part
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. drill — a practice
  6. rock — music
  7. drill — army training
  8. drill — the tool
  9. suit — in cards
  10. rock — a stone
  11. present — the time now
  12. suit — clothes
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bass — low music
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. suit — to fit
  18. key — for a lock
  19. present — a gift
  20. bass — the fish
  21. present — there
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. pound — a weight
  24. rock — to move gently

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