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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. ball — a dance
  5. ball — a great time
  6. key — in music
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. drill — army training
  9. pass — a permit
  10. cap — a hat
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. key — for a lock
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. bore — to drill
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. key — the most important part
  18. cap — of ice
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. drill — the tool
  22. bore — to tire
  23. drill — a practice
  24. arm — part of the body

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