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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. track — a song
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bore — to tire
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. scale — in music
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bore — to drill
  11. mark — a trace
  12. mark — a grade
  13. cap — a lid
  14. cap — a hat
  15. rule — a law
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. pit — a hole
  18. scale — size or range
  19. pit — in a race
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. track — to keep track
  22. rule — government
  23. track — a path
  24. cap — of ice

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