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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. drill — army training
  3. key — in music
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. drill — the tool
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. drill — a practice
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. key — the most important part
  16. fall — to drop
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. fall — to drop
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. fall — the season
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. key — for a lock
  23. date — the fruit
  24. foot — a measure

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