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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.

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: mate · bound · pitch · rest · bore · plane · key · cue

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. bound — obliged
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. rest — a break
  6. mate — to breed
  7. bound — certain
  8. cue — a signal
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. bore — to tire
  11. key — in music
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. pitch — completely
  14. key — the most important part
  15. cue — for pool
  16. rest — what's left
  17. cue — a hint
  18. rest — what's left
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. bore — to drill
  21. plane — a tool
  22. mate — a partner
  23. bound — tied together
  24. mate — a friend

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