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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. drill — the tool
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. key — for a lock
  5. squash — to crush
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. mate — a partner
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. staff — a stick
  11. squash — the sport
  12. drill — a practice
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. pass — a permit
  15. staff — employees
  16. key — in music
  17. key — the most important part
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. mate — to breed
  20. mate — a friend
  21. staff — employees
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. drill — army training
  24. bowl — a dish

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