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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. board — to get on
  5. bat — the animal
  6. bass — the fish
  7. cell — in biology
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. key — the most important part
  11. key — for a lock
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. bass — low music
  14. rule — government
  15. board — a committee
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. rule — a law
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. bore — to tire
  22. cell — a phone
  23. bore — to drill
  24. bore — gave birth

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