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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. mate — a friend
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. mate — to breed
  5. prune — to trim
  6. pound — a weight
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. race — a contest
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. prune — to trim
  11. suit — in cards
  12. suit — to fit
  13. drill — the tool
  14. race — the arms race
  15. drill — army training
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. mate — a partner
  18. key — the most important part
  19. key — for a lock
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. race — humankind
  22. suit — clothes
  23. drill — a practice
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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