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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. key — in music
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. pop — music
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bore — to tire
  10. vault — a safe
  11. pop — to visit
  12. bore — to drill
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. key — for a lock
  19. lie — to recline
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. mine — for digging
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. pop — soda
  24. key — the most important part

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