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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. drill — army training
  3. present — the time now
  4. object — an aim
  5. key — for a lock
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. staff — employees
  8. staff — a stick
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. key — the most important part
  11. key — in music
  12. drill — the tool
  13. present — a gift
  14. row — to paddle
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. object — to protest
  17. staff — employees
  18. present — there
  19. row — a line
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. drill — a practice
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. coach — a trainer

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