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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. lean — thin
  5. fine — high quality
  6. fine — all right
  7. bore — to drill
  8. bore — to tire
  9. scale — size or range
  10. club — for dancing
  11. key — in music
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. key — the most important part
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. lean — to bend
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. key — for a lock
  18. club — for golf
  19. plane — a tool
  20. court — for sport
  21. scale — in music
  22. club — a group
  23. court — of law
  24. court — of a king

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