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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 120 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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. key — the most important part
  3. bore — to drill
  4. key — for a lock
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. key — in music
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. bulb — for light
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. row — to paddle
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fork — in a road
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bulb — for light
  19. row — a line
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. foot — a measure
  24. row — a quarrel

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