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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. mate — a friend
  3. row — to paddle
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. vault — a safe
  6. mate — to breed
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. bore — to tire
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. mate — a partner
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. toast — bread
  17. pass — a permit
  18. key — the most important part
  19. row — a line
  20. key — in music
  21. saw — the tool
  22. saw — the tool
  23. key — for a lock
  24. toast — the most admired

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