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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: ball · calf · key · toast · fan · jam · pass · bore

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. bore — to drill
  5. ball — a great time
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. key — the most important part
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bore — to tire
  15. pass — a permit
  16. toast — bread
  17. ball — a dance
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. key — for a lock
  24. key — in music

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