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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. drill — army training
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. drill — a practice
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. suit — to fit
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. chair — a leader
  12. band — a ring
  13. key — in music
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. suit — in cards
  16. suit — clothes
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. key — the most important part
  20. band — a music group
  21. key — for a lock
  22. date — the fruit
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. drill — the tool

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