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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. track — a song
  3. tear — to rip
  4. bore — to drill
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. track — a path
  7. cell — in biology
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. tear — from crying
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. rush — hurry
  12. present — the time now
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. board — to get on
  15. board — a committee
  16. bore — to tire
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. cell — a phone
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. present — there
  21. track — to keep track
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. present — a gift
  24. tear — from crying

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