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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. lean — to bend
  3. drill — army training
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. key — the most important part
  6. spell — letters
  7. charge — a price
  8. drill — a practice
  9. spell — magic
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. charge — electricity
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. bank — for money
  15. key — for a lock
  16. lean — thin
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. charge — in control
  21. bank — for money
  22. spell — a short time
  23. key — in music
  24. bank — of a river

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