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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. cue — for pool
  4. stock — goods
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. bore — to tire
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. track — to keep track
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. fork — in a road
  15. stock — shares
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. cue — a signal
  18. bore — to drill
  19. cue — a hint
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. track — a song
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. patient — a sick person

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