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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: saw · bulb · key · squash · stick · bore · land · vault

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. key — in music
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. saw — the tool
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bore — to drill
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. land — a country
  9. vault — a safe
  10. land — to come down
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. squash — to crush
  14. bore — to tire
  15. bulb — for light
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. key — the most important part
  19. saw — the tool
  20. land — ground
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. key — for a lock
  23. squash — the sport
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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