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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. can — a tin
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. pit — in a race
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. vault — a safe
  8. can — to be able to
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. mug — a face
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. pit — a hole
  13. track — a song
  14. band — a music group
  15. bore — to tire
  16. mug — a cup
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. band — a ring
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. bore — to drill
  21. mug — to rob
  22. track — a path
  23. track — to keep track
  24. can — a tin

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