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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. key — in music
  3. bore — to drill
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. mark — a grade
  6. court — of a king
  7. scale — in music
  8. spring — the season
  9. spring — a coil
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. spring — of water
  12. ball — a great time
  13. ball — a dance
  14. key — for a lock
  15. key — the most important part
  16. court — of law
  17. bore — to tire
  18. court — for sport
  19. scale — size or range
  20. rock — a stone
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. rock — music
  24. mark — a trace

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