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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. bore — to drill
  3. scale — in music
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stand — to bear
  8. key — the most important part
  9. spell — a short time
  10. key — in music
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. key — for a lock
  13. file — a document
  14. file — a line of people
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. file — a tool
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. spell — magic
  23. scale — size or range
  24. dip — to sink

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