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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. track — to keep track
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. key — for a lock
  5. key — in music
  6. band — a ring
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. track — a song
  10. band — a music group
  11. present — there
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. mark — a trace
  14. key — the most important part
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. present — a gift
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. rush — hurry
  20. present — the time now
  21. mark — a grade
  22. bore — to tire
  23. track — a path
  24. rush — a thrill

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