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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. key — the most important part
  3. key — for a lock
  4. present — the time now
  5. ground — the earth
  6. rest — a break
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. present — a gift
  10. bore — to drill
  11. drill — the tool
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. bore — to tire
  16. rest — what's left
  17. present — there
  18. rest — what's left
  19. drill — army training
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. ground — crushed
  22. drill — a practice
  23. key — in music
  24. hide — to keep secret

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