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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 · pop · key · ruler · ball · ground · bound · track

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. bound — obliged
  3. bore — to drill
  4. track — a path
  5. track — to keep track
  6. ground — the earth
  7. ball — a dance
  8. pop — music
  9. track — a song
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. pop — soda
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. ground — crushed
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. key — in music
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. ground — a position
  18. bore — to tire
  19. key — for a lock
  20. key — the most important part
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bound — certain
  23. bound — tied together
  24. pop — to visit

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