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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: spell · bore · bowl · kick · key · last · lean · mark

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. spell — magic
  3. mark — a grade
  4. key — in music
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. key — the most important part
  7. spell — letters
  8. key — for a lock
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. last — finally
  12. lean — thin
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. kick — in football
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. last — final
  18. spell — a short time
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. bore — to drill
  21. lean — to bend
  22. mark — a trace
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. last — to go on

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