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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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. ball — a great time
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. bore — to tire
  9. ground — crushed
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. key — for a lock
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. key — in music
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. ground — a position
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. ground — the earth
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. key — the most important part
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. toast — bread
  23. plane — a tool
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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