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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. net — for catching
  4. bore — to drill
  5. rash — hasty
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. key — the most important part
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. wound — an injury
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. wound — an injury
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. rash — a series
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. net — after costs
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. net — in sport
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. vault — a safe
  21. key — for a lock
  22. bore — to tire
  23. key — in music
  24. bowl — a dish

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