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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 120 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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. key — the most important part
  4. bore — to drill
  5. pass — a permit
  6. key — in music
  7. kick — in football
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. foot — a measure
  15. rash — hasty
  16. bark — to shout
  17. bore — to tire
  18. land — to come down
  19. rash — a series
  20. land — ground
  21. land — a country
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. foot — part of the body

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