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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. track — a path
  3. track — a song
  4. track — to keep track
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. mug — a face
  7. net — in sport
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. net — after costs
  10. net — for catching
  11. dip — to sink
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. court — of law
  14. court — for sport
  15. pitch — completely
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. court — of a king
  19. mug — to rob
  20. bore — to tire
  21. kid — child
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. kid — to tease
  24. mug — a cup

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