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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 120 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: hide · drill · bass · safe · chip · mate · key · foot

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. key — for a lock
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. key — the most important part
  6. mate — a friend
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. mate — to breed
  10. chip — for betting
  11. key — in music
  12. drill — a practice
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. mate — a partner
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. drill — the tool
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bass — low music
  19. foot — a measure
  20. bass — the fish
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. chip — to eat
  24. drill — army training

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