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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. key — the most important part
  4. key — for a lock
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. bound — tied together
  7. kick — in football
  8. drill — a practice
  9. mug — a face
  10. ball — a great time
  11. bound — certain
  12. face — to point toward
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. ball — a dance
  15. mug — a cup
  16. face — to confront
  17. drill — the tool
  18. face — part of the head
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. bound — obliged
  21. key — in music
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. drill — army training

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