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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: racket · key · bore · ground · hide · stand · trunk · ball

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. key — the most important part
  3. bore — to drill
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. stand — to bear
  6. ball — a dance
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. key — for a lock
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. ground — the earth
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. ground — a position
  17. ground — crushed
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bore — to tire
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. key — in music
  23. ball — a great time
  24. stand — for spectators

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