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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. drill — a practice
  4. last — final
  5. drill — the tool
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. chip — for betting
  8. chip — to eat
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. last — finally
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. last — to go on
  14. wind — moving air
  15. key — for a lock
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. dip — to sink
  18. wind — moving air
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. rush — hurry
  21. key — the most important part
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. drill — army training

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