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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.

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: saw · dip · bore · plane · sharp · pop · ball · key

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. key — for a lock
  4. sharp — clever
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. plane — a tool
  7. saw — the tool
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. pop — to visit
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. pop — soda
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. dip — to sink
  15. bore — to tire
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. key — the most important part
  18. key — in music
  19. ball — a dance
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. bore — to drill
  22. saw — the tool
  23. pop — music
  24. sharp — exactly

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