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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 120 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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bore — to tire
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. staff — employees
  7. staff — employees
  8. deal — to handle
  9. key — in music
  10. bore — to drill
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. mine — for digging
  13. sharp — clever
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. stand — to bear
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. key — for a lock
  19. key — the most important part
  20. staff — a stick
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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