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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: safe · coach · rock · squash · mouse · kid · key · march

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. squash — the sport
  3. rock — music
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. key — the most important part
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. march — the month
  10. squash — to crush
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. rock — a stone
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. march — the month
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. key — for a lock
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. march — music
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. kid — to tease
  24. kid — child

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