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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.

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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. spring — a coil
  3. key — the most important part
  4. pop — soda
  5. bulb — for light
  6. key — for a lock
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. rush — hurry
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bulb — for light
  11. tear — from crying
  12. tear — from crying
  13. bore — to tire
  14. tear — to rip
  15. spring — of water
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pop — to visit
  18. pass — a permit
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. key — in music
  21. spring — the season
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. pop — music
  24. bulb — of a plant

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