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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 116 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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. board — to get on
  3. key — the most important part
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. can — a tin
  7. key — in music
  8. key — for a lock
  9. can — a tin
  10. bore — to tire
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. board — a committee
  15. plane — a tool
  16. kid — child
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. bore — to drill
  20. can — to be able to
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. sharp — clever
  24. plane — in geometry

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