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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 120 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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. key — for a lock
  4. drill — a practice
  5. drill — the tool
  6. root — the cause
  7. root — of a word
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. ball — a great time
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. key — in music
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. key — the most important part
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. cue — for pool
  20. cue — a hint
  21. cue — a signal
  22. ball — a dance
  23. root — of a plant
  24. drill — army training

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