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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. key — for a lock
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. key — the most important part
  7. squash — to crush
  8. bore — to drill
  9. cue — a hint
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. fall — to drop
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. cue — for pool
  16. fall — the season
  17. cue — a signal
  18. squash — the sport
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. fall — to drop
  22. rush — hurry
  23. bore — to tire
  24. wake — a trail

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