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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
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: cold · key · present · lie · ball · file · bore · racket

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. file — a line of people
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. file — a tool
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. key — for a lock
  10. present — the time now
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. cold — not warm
  13. key — in music
  14. present — a gift
  15. file — a document
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ball — a great time
  18. key — the most important part
  19. lie — to recline
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bore — to drill
  22. present — there
  23. cold — an illness
  24. bore — to tire

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