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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. track — a path
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. saw — the tool
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. bore — to drill
  7. key — in music
  8. squash — to crush
  9. squash — the sport
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. key — the most important part
  12. track — to keep track
  13. perch — the fish
  14. key — for a lock
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — hurry
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. ball — a dance
  22. bore — to tire
  23. track — a song
  24. saw — the tool

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