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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: key · track · rush · firm · date · net · drill · spring

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. net — for catching
  3. spring — the season
  4. key — the most important part
  5. track — a path
  6. firm — decided
  7. drill — a practice
  8. track — to keep track
  9. firm — steady
  10. rush — hurry
  11. track — a song
  12. net — in sport
  13. drill — army training
  14. spring — of water
  15. net — after costs
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. drill — the tool
  19. firm — a company
  20. key — for a lock
  21. spring — a coil
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. key — in music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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