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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. spell — a short time
  3. spell — magic
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. bore — to drill
  6. bore — to tire
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. board — a committee
  9. wake — a trail
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. spell — letters
  13. last — final
  14. key — for a lock
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. board — to get on
  18. bat — the animal
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. lie — to recline
  21. key — in music
  22. key — the most important part
  23. last — finally
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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