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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. roll — a list
  4. key — for a lock
  5. land — ground
  6. key — the most important part
  7. land — a country
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bore — to tire
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. key — in music
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. content — happy
  16. ball — a great time
  17. bore — to drill
  18. ball — a dance
  19. content — the amount
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. roll — a cake
  24. safe — out of danger

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