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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: pass · key · bore · bat · date · ball · face · roll

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  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. date — on the calendar
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. roll — a list
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. pass — a permit
  7. ball — a great time
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. face — part of the head
  10. bore — to tire
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. face — to point toward
  13. ball — a dance
  14. roll — a cake
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. key — the most important part
  17. key — for a lock
  18. bat — the animal
  19. date — the fruit
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. face — to confront
  23. bore — to drill
  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