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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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. key — the most important part
  3. bore — to tire
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. net — after costs
  6. key — in music
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. mate — to breed
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. branch — a division
  13. mate — a friend
  14. rule — a law
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. game — a match
  17. rule — government
  18. mate — a partner
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. plane — a tool
  21. game — wild animals
  22. net — for catching
  23. key — for a lock
  24. plane — in geometry

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