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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 120 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: bat · key · present · bore · suit · lean · drill · rush

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. present — there
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bat — the animal
  7. drill — the tool
  8. suit — clothes
  9. suit — in cards
  10. lean — to bend
  11. suit — to fit
  12. key — in music
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. present — a gift
  15. bore — to drill
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. rush — hurry
  18. present — the time now
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. lean — thin
  21. key — for a lock
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. drill — a practice
  24. key — the most important part

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