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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. staff — employees
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. squash — to crush
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. squash — the sport
  7. staff — a stick
  8. key — the most important part
  9. key — for a lock
  10. last — to go on
  11. last — finally
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. mate — to breed
  14. march — the month
  15. mate — a friend
  16. key — in music
  17. staff — employees
  18. net — after costs
  19. net — for catching
  20. march — the month
  21. mate — a partner
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. last — final
  24. net — in sport

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