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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. toast — bread
  3. can — a tin
  4. mate — a friend
  5. key — the most important part
  6. key — in music
  7. mate — a partner
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. scale — size or range
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. can — a tin
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. bore — to tire
  15. bore — to drill
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. scale — in music
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. mate — to breed
  21. can — to be able to
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. deal — to handle
  24. key — for a lock

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