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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 116 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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. key — the most important part
  4. mate — a partner
  5. mate — to breed
  6. land — a country
  7. firm — steady
  8. pop — music
  9. drill — the tool
  10. drill — a practice
  11. spring — a coil
  12. spring — of water
  13. firm — decided
  14. pop — to visit
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pop — soda
  17. drill — army training
  18. pass — a permit
  19. land — ground
  20. land — to come down
  21. key — for a lock
  22. spring — the season
  23. mate — a friend
  24. firm — a company

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