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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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. rest — what's left
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. bore — to tire
  6. dip — to sink
  7. track — a path
  8. rock — a stone
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. court — of law
  13. net — in sport
  14. net — after costs
  15. court — of a king
  16. rest — a break
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. court — for sport
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. net — for catching
  21. bore — to drill
  22. track — to keep track
  23. track — a song
  24. rock — music

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