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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: key · roll · fine · lie · face · saw · pitch · bore

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. bore — to drill
  3. fine — high quality
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. key — the most important part
  6. roll — a list
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. face — to confront
  11. fine — all right
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. face — to point toward
  14. face — part of the head
  15. lie — to recline
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. key — for a lock
  20. key — in music
  21. roll — a cake
  22. pitch — completely
  23. saw — the tool
  24. saw — the tool

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