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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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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: kick · bore · bass · roll · rest · fine · club · key

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. club — for golf
  3. rest — what's left
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. bore — to drill
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. club — for dancing
  8. bass — the fish
  9. fine — all right
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. key — in music
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. rest — a break
  15. kick — in football
  16. club — a group
  17. bass — low music
  18. roll — a list
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. fine — high quality
  21. key — the most important part
  22. rest — what's left
  23. key — for a lock
  24. roll — a cake

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