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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.

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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: march · mark · key · leaves · content · bore · firm · lash

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. bore — to drill
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. content — happy
  7. firm — a company
  8. firm — decided
  9. march — the month
  10. mark — a grade
  11. march — the month
  12. content — the amount
  13. march — music
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. key — for a lock
  16. bore — to tire
  17. firm — steady
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. mark — a trace
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. key — in music

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