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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: lean · ball · hide · key · tear · racket · coach · bore

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. tear — to rip
  4. bore — to drill
  5. lean — to bend
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bore — to tire
  12. key — in music
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. tear — from crying
  17. ball — a great time
  18. tear — from crying
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. ball — a dance
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. key — for a lock
  23. lean — thin
  24. ball — a round shape

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