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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 120 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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bear — the animal
  6. track — a song
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. wind — moving air
  10. board — to get on
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bear — the animal
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. club — a group
  15. club — for golf
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. wind — moving air
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. board — a committee
  21. club — for dancing
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. track — to keep track

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