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

Word bank: bay · court · chair · key · cap · rest · bore · roll

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. rest — a break
  5. key — for a lock
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. key — in music
  9. roll — a list
  10. court — of a king
  11. bore — to tire
  12. cap — a hat
  13. rest — what's left
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. rest — what's left
  16. roll — a cake
  17. court — for sport
  18. cap — a lid
  19. chair — a leader
  20. court — of law
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. key — the most important part
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. cap — of ice

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