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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 drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. spring — a coil
  5. key — the most important part
  6. spring — of water
  7. pit — in a race
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. stock — shares
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. squash — to crush
  14. pound — a weight
  15. spring — the season
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. squash — the sport
  19. pit — a hole
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. key — for a lock
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. stock — goods

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