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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. drill — the tool
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. key — for a lock
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. drill — army training
  11. net — after costs
  12. shower — rain
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. lie — to recline
  15. vault — a safe
  16. kick — in football
  17. drill — a practice
  18. net — for catching
  19. net — in sport
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. bore — to drill
  22. bore — to tire
  23. key — in music
  24. shower — to wash

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