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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 116 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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. charge — a price
  7. charge — in control
  8. stock — shares
  9. ball — a great time
  10. bore — to tire
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. bore — to drill
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. stock — goods
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. charge — electricity
  20. track — a path
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. ball — a dance
  23. track — to keep track
  24. snap — to click

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