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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. track — a song
  3. drill — the tool
  4. drill — army training
  5. charge — a price
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. key — in music
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. key — for a lock
  11. key — the most important part
  12. charge — in control
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. charge — electricity
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. track — to keep track
  19. track — a path
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. drill — a practice
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bat — the animal

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