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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. bore — to drill
  3. suit — to fit
  4. suit — clothes
  5. suit — in cards
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. track — a path
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. sharp — clever
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. rock — music
  14. track — to keep track
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. rock — a stone
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. bore — to tire
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. toast — bread
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. trunk — of a tree

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