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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. bore — to drill
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. chest — a box
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bore — to tire
  8. present — there
  9. key — for a lock
  10. chest — of your body
  11. fine — high quality
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. key — in music
  14. present — a gift
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. chest — of your body
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. fine — all right
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. date — the fruit
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. present — the time now

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