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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. key — the most important part
  4. bound — obliged
  5. content — the amount
  6. bound — certain
  7. bore — to tire
  8. swing — to play on
  9. key — in music
  10. drill — the tool
  11. swing — music
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. content — happy
  14. hand — help
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. bound — tied together
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. drill — army training
  19. swing — in golf
  20. hand — in cards
  21. bore — to drill
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. key — for a lock

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