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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. mug — a face
  3. date — the fruit
  4. bore — to drill
  5. track — a path
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. cue — a signal
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. track — a song
  13. mug — a cup
  14. mug — to rob
  15. cue — a hint
  16. snap — to click
  17. bore — to tire
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bulb — for light
  24. cue — for pool

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