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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. scale — in music
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. mug — a face
  8. bore — to tire
  9. bore — to drill
  10. scale — size or range
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. mug — a cup
  15. track — a path
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. stand — to bear
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. track — to keep track
  22. track — a song
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. fork — in a road

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