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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. toast — bread
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. mate — a partner
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. key — the most important part
  11. kid — child
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. wake — a trail
  14. kid — to tease
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. key — for a lock
  17. bore — to tire
  18. mate — to breed
  19. perch — the fish
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. mate — a friend
  23. bore — to drill
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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