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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. rest — what's left
  3. track — to keep track
  4. mug — a cup
  5. rest — what's left
  6. track — a path
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. bore — to tire
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. rest — a break
  14. pass — a permit
  15. mark — a grade
  16. mug — to rob
  17. mug — a face
  18. bore — to drill
  19. track — a song
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. snap — to click
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. mark — a trace

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