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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. key — the most important part
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. plane — a tool
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pit — a hole
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. key — in music
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. rush — hurry
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. pit — in a race
  17. key — for a lock
  18. fork — in a road
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. foot — a measure
  24. plane — an aircraft

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