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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. degree — from a university
  3. key — the most important part
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bore — to drill
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. degree — temperature
  9. key — for a lock
  10. capital — a city
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. tube — a container
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. saw — the tool
  18. key — in music
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. bore — to tire
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. capital — money
  23. tube — the underground
  24. degree — an amount

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