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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. bore — to drill
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. present — there
  6. cap — of ice
  7. stock — shares
  8. track — to keep track
  9. stock — goods
  10. band — a music group
  11. swing — to play on
  12. cap — a lid
  13. swing — music
  14. bore — to tire
  15. ball — a dance
  16. track — a path
  17. present — a gift
  18. present — the time now
  19. swing — in golf
  20. track — a song
  21. band — a ring
  22. ball — a great time
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. bore — gave birth

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