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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 120 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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  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 — to keep track
  2. mate — a partner
  3. prune — to trim
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. track — a path
  7. mate — a friend
  8. chip — to eat
  9. prune — to trim
  10. bass — the fish
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. bass — low music
  13. mate — to breed
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bore — to drill
  18. rest — a break
  19. chip — for betting
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. rest — what's left
  22. track — a song
  23. prune — the fruit
  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