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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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. bore — to drill
  3. track — a song
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. stock — shares
  7. track — a path
  8. key — in music
  9. club — a group
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. club — for dancing
  12. key — for a lock
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. key — the most important part
  16. cap — a lid
  17. bore — to tire
  18. stock — goods
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. track — to keep track
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. cap — a hat
  23. club — for golf
  24. patient — a sick person

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