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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. drill — the tool
  4. key — the most important part
  5. key — in music
  6. bound — obliged
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. bound — tied together
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. pound — a weight
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. drill — army training
  15. drill — a practice
  16. pit — in a race
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. rock — music
  19. bound — certain
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. dip — to sink
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. key — for a lock
  24. rock — a stone

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