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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 116 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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. craft — a skill
  3. key — in music
  4. ground — the earth
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. rest — a break
  8. rest — what's left
  9. drill — army training
  10. drill — the tool
  11. craft — boats
  12. pit — in a race
  13. ground — a position
  14. scale — size or range
  15. rock — music
  16. key — for a lock
  17. rock — a stone
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. key — the most important part
  20. ground — crushed
  21. pit — a hole
  22. scale — in music
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rock — to move gently

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