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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. file — a document
  3. key — for a lock
  4. drill — a practice
  5. bound — tied together
  6. can — a tin
  7. rush — hurry
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. file — a line of people
  11. fork — in a road
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. rock — a stone
  14. can — a tin
  15. drill — the tool
  16. key — the most important part
  17. rock — music
  18. can — to be able to
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. bound — certain
  21. file — a tool
  22. drill — army training
  23. bound — obliged
  24. key — in music

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