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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. key — the most important part
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. key — for a lock
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. prune — to trim
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. mine — for digging
  11. pop — soda
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. pop — to visit
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. key — in music
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. bore — to tire
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. pop — music
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. prune — to trim
  24. bore — to drill

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