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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. present — a gift
  3. key — in music
  4. bore — to drill
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. present — there
  7. ball — a great time
  8. key — for a lock
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — the fish
  13. ball — a dance
  14. lie — to recline
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. date — the fruit
  20. plane — a tool
  21. bore — to tire
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. present — the time now

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