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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 124 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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. lie — to recline
  3. key — for a lock
  4. bound — obliged
  5. key — the most important part
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. roll — a cake
  9. bore — to drill
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bound — tied together
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. bound — certain
  16. bore — to tire
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. prune — to trim
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. key — in music
  21. prune — to trim
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. prune — the fruit

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