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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: craft · bass · drill · rule · can · mouse · field · key

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. rule — government
  3. key — in music
  4. field — a subject
  5. key — for a lock
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. drill — army training
  8. bass — low music
  9. drill — the tool
  10. rule — a law
  11. field — farmland
  12. field — for sport
  13. can — a tin
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. can — a tin
  20. key — the most important part
  21. can — to be able to
  22. craft — boats
  23. bass — the fish
  24. craft — a skill

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