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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  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. mug — a face
  2. key — for a lock
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. bore — to drill
  5. fall — to drop
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. sharp — clever
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. key — the most important part
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. key — in music
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. season — of the year
  15. fall — to drop
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. mug — a cup
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. vault — a safe
  20. fall — the season
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. season — in sport
  23. mug — to rob
  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