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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 120 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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. track — a song
  3. pop — to visit
  4. deal — to handle
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. row — to paddle
  7. tube — the underground
  8. track — a path
  9. row — a line
  10. bore — to tire
  11. tube — a container
  12. pop — soda
  13. pop — music
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. track — to keep track
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. bore — to drill
  24. bore — gave birth

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