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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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. rule — government
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. bore — to drill
  5. row — to paddle
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. spring — of water
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. bore — to tire
  10. rule — a law
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. rock — music
  14. key — the most important part
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. key — for a lock
  17. key — in music
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. spring — a coil
  20. rock — a stone
  21. pass — a permit
  22. row — a line
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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