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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. track — a song
  3. ball — a great time
  4. pop — to visit
  5. pop — soda
  6. track — a path
  7. ball — a dance
  8. bore — to drill
  9. suit — clothes
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. suit — in cards
  17. track — to keep track
  18. pop — music
  19. kick — in football
  20. suit — to fit
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. branch — a division
  24. bore — to tire

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