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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 116 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
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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: dip · court · squash · bore · net · key · craft · pass

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. key — the most important part
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. squash — to crush
  8. key — in music
  9. craft — a skill
  10. pass — a permit
  11. dip — to sink
  12. net — after costs
  13. squash — the sport
  14. net — for catching
  15. court — for sport
  16. net — in sport
  17. craft — boats
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. court — of law
  20. bore — to tire
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. bore — to drill
  24. court — of a king

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