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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 120 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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. bore — to drill
  5. fall — the season
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. key — the most important part
  8. bore — to tire
  9. fall — to drop
  10. pop — to visit
  11. pop — music
  12. pop — soda
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. fall — to drop
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. key — in music
  19. foot — a measure
  20. ball — a dance
  21. key — for a lock
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. mine — for digging
  24. ball — a great time

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