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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. key — the most important part
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. cell — in biology
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. plane — a tool
  11. bore — to drill
  12. game — a match
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. ball — a great time
  15. perch — the fish
  16. ball — a dance
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. cell — a phone
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. bore — to tire
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. game — wild animals
  24. key — for a lock

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