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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. bore — to tire
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. key — the most important part
  7. lie — to recline
  8. ball — a dance
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. key — for a lock
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. key — in music
  14. bore — to drill
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. capital — money
  17. season — of the year
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. toast — bread
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. season — in sport
  24. capital — a city

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