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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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. charge — in control
  3. tube — a container
  4. face — to point toward
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. track — a song
  7. band — a music group
  8. tube — the underground
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bound — certain
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. bound — obliged
  15. track — to keep track
  16. bore — to drill
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. charge — electricity
  19. band — a ring
  20. bound — tied together
  21. face — to confront
  22. bore — to tire
  23. face — part of the head
  24. charge — a price

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