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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. track — a path
  3. board — to get on
  4. board — a committee
  5. cap — of ice
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. bore — to drill
  12. cap — a lid
  13. track — a song
  14. cap — a hat
  15. rest — a break
  16. scale — in music
  17. scale — size or range
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. rest — what's left
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. track — to keep track
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bore — to tire
  24. scale — for weighing

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