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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 · key · ball · mug · row · lie · club · can

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. can — a tin
  3. ball — a dance
  4. key — for a lock
  5. row — a line
  6. key — in music
  7. club — a group
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bore — to tire
  11. bore — to drill
  12. mug — to rob
  13. can — to be able to
  14. row — to paddle
  15. mug — a face
  16. lie — to recline
  17. club — for golf
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. ball — a great time
  21. can — a tin
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. key — the most important part
  24. club — for dancing

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