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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. fine — high quality
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. mug — a face
  7. bore — to drill
  8. cap — a lid
  9. net — in sport
  10. mug — to rob
  11. net — for catching
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. track — a song
  14. cap — of ice
  15. squash — to crush
  16. roll — a list
  17. squash — the sport
  18. mug — a cup
  19. bore — to tire
  20. track — to keep track
  21. fine — all right
  22. cap — a hat
  23. roll — a cake
  24. net — after costs

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