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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. key — the most important part
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. ground — a position
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bass — the fish
  11. current — electric
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. pit — in a race
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. key — in music
  16. bass — low music
  17. ground — crushed
  18. ground — the earth
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. current — happening now
  22. pit — a hole
  23. key — for a lock
  24. current — of water

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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