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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. squash — to crush
  3. key — in music
  4. pit — in a race
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. drill — the tool
  7. key — for a lock
  8. drill — a practice
  9. squash — the sport
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. drill — army training
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. pit — a hole
  14. wound — an injury
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. pop — music
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. wound — an injury
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. pop — to visit
  24. key — the most important part

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