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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: bore · suit · key · pit · club · cell · pass · spell

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. suit — to fit
  4. pit — a hole
  5. key — in music
  6. cell — in biology
  7. spell — magic
  8. suit — in cards
  9. club — for dancing
  10. suit — clothes
  11. club — a group
  12. cell — a phone
  13. club — for golf
  14. pit — in a race
  15. key — for a lock
  16. pass — a permit
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. key — the most important part
  19. bore — to tire
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. bore — to drill
  24. spell — a short time

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