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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: ball · chip · calf · bat · bore · bulb · lie · key

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. bore — to drill
  4. chip — for betting
  5. ball — a dance
  6. ball — a great time
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bulb — for light
  12. key — in music
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bulb — for light
  15. lie — to recline
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. key — for a lock
  18. chip — to eat
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. key — the most important part
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bore — to tire

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