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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: pit · drill · ground · key · can · straw · net · stick

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. key — in music
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. key — the most important part
  7. ground — a position
  8. key — for a lock
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. drill — the tool
  13. net — after costs
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — to be able to
  17. drill — a practice
  18. drill — army training
  19. ground — crushed
  20. net — in sport
  21. pit — a hole
  22. ground — the earth
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. net — for catching

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