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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. key — in music
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. spell — a short time
  6. key — the most important part
  7. spell — magic
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. drill — a practice
  12. sharp — clever
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. drill — the tool
  15. spell — letters
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. tube — the underground
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. key — for a lock
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. drill — army training

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