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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. band — a music group
  3. saw — the tool
  4. face — to confront
  5. track — a path
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. face — part of the head
  11. bore — to drill
  12. track — to keep track
  13. board — a committee
  14. track — a song
  15. mug — to rob
  16. band — a ring
  17. saw — the tool
  18. board — to get on
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. face — to point toward
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. mug — a face
  23. bore — to tire
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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