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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fine · track · mate · fall · dip · bore

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. fall — to drop
  4. mate — to breed
  5. track — a song
  6. fine — all right
  7. fall — to drop
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. track — a path
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. fine — high quality
  12. bore — to drill
  13. mate — a friend
  14. track — to keep track
  15. dip — to sink
  16. bore — to tire
  17. fall — the season
  18. mate — a partner

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