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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 116 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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. bore — to tire
  3. bat — the animal
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. pass — a permit
  8. stem — to come from
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. key — the most important part
  12. key — for a lock
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. bore — to drill
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. pitcher — a jug

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