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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. track — a song
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. scale — in music
  5. current — happening now
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. bound — tied together
  9. band — a music group
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. bound — obliged
  12. track — to keep track
  13. bound — certain
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. band — a ring
  19. scale — size or range
  20. current — of water
  21. bore — to drill
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. current — electric
  24. bore — to tire

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