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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. degree — an amount
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. key — for a lock
  5. toast — bread
  6. degree — temperature
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. deal — to handle
  9. lie — to recline
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. key — in music
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. key — the most important part
  14. charge — electricity
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. bore — to drill
  20. degree — from a university
  21. charge — in control
  22. charge — a price
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. lie — an untruth

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