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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. can — a tin
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. rush — hurry
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. key — for a lock
  7. object — an aim
  8. drill — a practice
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. ground — a position
  11. object — to protest
  12. ground — crushed
  13. can — a tin
  14. object — a thing
  15. ground — the earth
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. key — the most important part
  18. stock — shares
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. stock — goods
  21. drill — army training
  22. key — in music
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. can — to be able to

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