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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. key — the most important part
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. mate — a friend
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. mate — to breed
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bore — to tire
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. key — in music
  14. mate — a partner
  15. stand — to bear
  16. prune — to trim
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. wake — a trail
  23. prune — to trim
  24. fork — in a road

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