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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 116 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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. object — an aim
  3. track — a song
  4. track — to keep track
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. drill — the tool
  7. tube — the underground
  8. mate — a partner
  9. drill — army training
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. tube — a container
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. fork — in a road
  15. mate — to breed
  16. object — a thing
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. wax — to grow
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. object — to protest
  22. mate — a friend
  23. drill — a practice
  24. nail — for a hammer

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