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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 116 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.

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: capital · sharp · spell · calf · key · bore · drill · hide

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. spell — magic
  5. spell — a short time
  6. bore — to drill
  7. capital — a city
  8. sharp — clever
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. capital — money
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bore — to tire
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. spell — letters
  15. key — in music
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. drill — the tool
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. drill — army training
  21. key — for a lock
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. drill — a practice

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