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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. bear — the animal
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. mug — to rob
  5. drill — a practice
  6. track — to keep track
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. mug — a face
  9. bear — the animal
  10. foot — a measure
  11. drill — army training
  12. bore — to drill
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. track — a song
  16. drill — the tool
  17. mug — a cup
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. wake — a trail
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. track — a path

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