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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
Word bank
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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. mate — a partner
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. bore — to drill
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. pit — a hole
  7. key — the most important part
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. pit — in a race
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. mate — a friend
  15. bore — to tire
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. plane — a tool
  19. kick — in football
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. mate — to breed
  24. key — in music

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