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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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468
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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  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. bay — a horse colour
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bore — to tire
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. mine — for digging
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. key — in music
  11. kick — in football
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. cell — in biology
  17. pitch — completely
  18. chip — for betting
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. chip — to eat
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. cell — a phone
  23. key — the most important part
  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