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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. suit — to fit
  3. track — to keep track
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. bore — to tire
  6. race — the arms race
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. race — humankind
  9. track — a path
  10. stock — shares
  11. pop — music
  12. bore — to drill
  13. race — a contest
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. pop — to visit
  16. stock — goods
  17. suit — in cards
  18. track — a song
  19. pop — soda
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. prune — to trim
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. prune — to trim
  24. suit — clothes

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