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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bank — of a river
  3. track — a path
  4. bore — to tire
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. rash — hasty
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. bank — for money
  9. ground — a position
  10. tear — to rip
  11. track — to keep track
  12. ball — a great time
  13. rest — a break
  14. ball — a dance
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rash — a series
  17. tear — from crying
  18. tear — from crying
  19. bank — for money
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. ground — the earth
  22. track — a song
  23. ground — crushed
  24. rest — what's left

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