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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. present — the time now
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bore — to drill
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. suit — in cards
  10. rock — music
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. bore — to tire
  14. present — there
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. track — a song
  17. present — a gift
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. stock — shares
  20. suit — to fit
  21. track — a path
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. rock — a stone
  24. stock — goods

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