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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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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: rest · toast · safe · key · face · object · mate · bore

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. mate — a friend
  3. object — an aim
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. face — to confront
  7. rest — a break
  8. key — for a lock
  9. key — in music
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. object — to protest
  12. bore — to tire
  13. key — the most important part
  14. rest — what's left
  15. object — a thing
  16. toast — bread
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. rest — what's left
  20. face — to point toward
  21. mate — a partner
  22. bore — to drill
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. face — part of the head

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