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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. track — a song
  3. bore — to drill
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. track — a path
  6. ball — a great time
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. file — a document
  9. bore — to tire
  10. key — the most important part
  11. file — a tool
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. chip — to eat
  16. key — for a lock
  17. rash — hasty
  18. rash — a series
  19. key — in music
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. ball — a dance
  23. chip — for betting
  24. file — a line of people

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