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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. kick — in football
  3. field — a subject
  4. track — a path
  5. field — for sport
  6. track — to keep track
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. field — farmland
  10. suit — to fit
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bore — to tire
  13. pop — to visit
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. track — a song
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. bore — to drill
  20. pop — music
  21. suit — clothes
  22. suit — in cards
  23. pop — soda
  24. jam — a tight spot

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