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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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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: squash · nail · club · drill · bulb · track · content · key

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. key — the most important part
  4. club — a group
  5. bulb — for light
  6. club — for dancing
  7. squash — to crush
  8. key — for a lock
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. drill — a practice
  11. drill — army training
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. track — a path
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bulb — for light
  16. content — happy
  17. squash — the sport
  18. track — to keep track
  19. key — in music
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. track — a song
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. club — for golf
  24. drill — the tool

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