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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. net — in sport
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. perch — the fish
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. kick — in football
  10. net — after costs
  11. key — the most important part
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. net — for catching
  14. key — for a lock
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. key — in music
  19. content — the amount
  20. branch — a division
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. content — happy
  23. plane — a tool
  24. bore — to tire

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