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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. suit — to fit
  3. spring — the season
  4. bore — to drill
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. key — for a lock
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. spring — of water
  10. suit — in cards
  11. ground — a position
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. key — in music
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. bore — to tire
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. spring — a coil
  18. wax — to grow
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. key — the most important part
  22. suit — clothes
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. ground — the earth

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