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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.

Make a worksheet

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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. file — a tool
  3. key — in music
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. pop — to visit
  7. spring — the season
  8. file — a line of people
  9. spring — of water
  10. spring — a coil
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. pop — music
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. file — a document
  18. key — for a lock
  19. mine — for digging
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. key — the most important part
  22. pop — soda
  23. date — the fruit
  24. safe — out of danger

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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