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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. toast — bread
  3. spell — magic
  4. mug — to rob
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. key — for a lock
  7. rest — a break
  8. key — in music
  9. key — the most important part
  10. bore — to drill
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. rest — what's left
  13. mug — a cup
  14. prune — to trim
  15. rest — what's left
  16. spell — a short time
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. prune — to trim
  19. spell — letters
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. mug — a face
  22. bore — to tire
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. deal — to handle

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