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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. bore — to tire
  3. saw — the tool
  4. pit — a hole
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — to recline
  7. saw — the tool
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. key — the most important part
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. key — in music
  13. club — for golf
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. club — a group
  16. pit — in a race
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. key — for a lock
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. club — for dancing
  21. bore — to drill
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. vault — a safe

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