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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. bulb — for light
  3. scale — in music
  4. kick — in football
  5. bore — to drill
  6. track — a path
  7. mine — for digging
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. track — a song
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. bore — to tire
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. scale — size or range
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bat — the animal
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. mine — belonging to me

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