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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rush · key · can · squash · drill · deal · march · last

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. rush — hurry
  3. march — the month
  4. drill — army training
  5. march — music
  6. march — the month
  7. key — in music
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. can — a tin
  10. last — final
  11. can — to be able to
  12. drill — a practice
  13. last — finally
  14. squash — the sport
  15. deal — to handle
  16. key — the most important part
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. last — to go on
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. drill — the tool
  23. squash — to crush
  24. key — for a lock

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