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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: object · mouse · firm · wake · can · drill · cabinet · key

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. key — in music
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. key — for a lock
  5. key — the most important part
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. object — a thing
  8. can — to be able to
  9. drill — army training
  10. can — a tin
  11. firm — decided
  12. firm — a company
  13. firm — steady
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. can — a tin
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. object — to protest
  20. drill — a practice
  21. wake — a trail
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. drill — the tool
  24. object — an aim

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