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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 116 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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. board — to get on
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. mug — a face
  6. bore — to tire
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. mate — a partner
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. board — a committee
  12. court — of a king
  13. track — a path
  14. bore — to drill
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. mug — to rob
  18. mate — a friend
  19. court — of law
  20. track — to keep track
  21. mug — a cup
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. mate — to breed
  24. court — for sport

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