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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. bore — to tire
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. bore — to drill
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. key — for a lock
  8. capital — money
  9. season — in sport
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. season — of the year
  12. cue — a hint
  13. wake — a trail
  14. cue — for pool
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. cue — a signal
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. key — the most important part
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. capital — a city
  23. ball — a great time
  24. key — in music

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