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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
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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: drill · degree · can · rush · bore · lie · root · key

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. lie — to recline
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bore — to tire
  5. drill — the tool
  6. key — in music
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. degree — temperature
  9. rush — hurry
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. can — to be able to
  13. degree — from a university
  14. can — a tin
  15. root — of a plant
  16. key — the most important part
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. root — the cause
  19. root — of a word
  20. can — a tin
  21. bore — to drill
  22. degree — an amount
  23. drill — a practice
  24. drill — army training

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