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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. track — a path
  3. can — to be able to
  4. can — a tin
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. degree — temperature
  11. pitch — completely
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. bore — to drill
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. degree — from a university
  16. fork — in a road
  17. degree — an amount
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. track — to keep track
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. track — a song
  23. can — a tin
  24. mouse — the animal

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