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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. bore — to drill
  3. wind — moving air
  4. key — for a lock
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. spell — a short time
  7. wind — moving air
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. ball — a great time
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. spell — letters
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bore — to tire
  15. key — the most important part
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. key — in music
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. spell — magic
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. mouse — for a computer

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