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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 refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. game — a match
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. key — in music
  6. last — final
  7. last — to go on
  8. scale — size or range
  9. scale — in music
  10. mug — to rob
  11. key — for a lock
  12. mug — a face
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. game — wild animals
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. saw — the tool
  18. key — the most important part
  19. saw — the tool
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. squash — the sport
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. squash — to crush
  24. last — finally

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