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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 120 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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. key — for a lock
  3. saw — the tool
  4. staff — employees
  5. key — in music
  6. saw — the tool
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. staff — a stick
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. staff — employees
  12. cap — of ice
  13. key — the most important part
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. field — farmland
  17. cap — a hat
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. field — for sport
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. cap — a lid
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. field — a subject
  24. trunk — of a tree

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