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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: degree · march · spring · ruler · key · bore · lie · safe

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. bore — to drill
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. spring — the season
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. spring — of water
  7. march — the month
  8. degree — temperature
  9. lie — to recline
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. spring — a coil
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bore — to tire
  16. degree — from a university
  17. march — the month
  18. key — for a lock
  19. degree — an amount
  20. march — music
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. key — in music
  24. ruler — a monarch

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