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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. key — for a lock
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. club — for golf
  9. bore — to drill
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. key — the most important part
  12. club — for dancing
  13. kick — in football
  14. lie — to recline
  15. club — a group
  16. key — in music
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. pit — a hole
  20. ground — the earth
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. pit — in a race
  23. bore — to tire
  24. ground — a position

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