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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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. bore — to drill
  3. track — to keep track
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. mate — a partner
  8. fine — high quality
  9. mate — to breed
  10. fall — the season
  11. fine — all right
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. track — a song
  14. fall — to drop
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bass — the fish
  17. track — a path
  18. dip — to sink
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. mate — a friend
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bass — low music
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. fall — to drop

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