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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bore — to drill
  6. rock — a stone
  7. land — to come down
  8. land — a country
  9. key — the most important part
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. key — in music
  13. land — ground
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. key — for a lock
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. rock — music
  18. bore — to tire
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. ground — the earth
  21. ground — a position
  22. ground — crushed
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. toast — bread

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