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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: drill · lash · date · prune · content · safe · racket · key

  1. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. drill — army training
  3. key — in music
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. content — the amount
  6. drill — the tool
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. drill — a practice
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. prune — to trim
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. key — for a lock
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. date — the fruit
  20. prune — to trim
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. key — the most important part
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — for tennis

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