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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.

Make a worksheet

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: key · track · leaves · safe · present · bore · cap · nail

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. track — to keep track
  4. present — there
  5. key — the most important part
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bore — to tire
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. cap — a lid
  11. track — a path
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. cap — a hat
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bore — to drill
  16. key — in music
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. key — for a lock
  20. present — the time now
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. cap — of ice
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. track — a song

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