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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. bore — to tire
  3. track — a path
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. fork — in a road
  7. bore — to drill
  8. key — the most important part
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. pass — a permit
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. key — in music
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. bulb — for light
  16. key — for a lock
  17. track — a song
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bulb — for light

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