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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. board — a committee
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. bore — to drill
  8. key — the most important part
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. rock — music
  11. ball — a dance
  12. face — to confront
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. key — for a lock
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. rock — a stone
  17. board — to get on
  18. face — to point toward
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. key — in music
  22. face — part of the head
  23. bore — to tire
  24. ball — a great time

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