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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mug · bore · track · ball · game · fine · cabinet · lean

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. ball — a great time
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. fine — high quality
  5. lean — thin
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. track — to keep track
  8. ball — a dance
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. mug — a cup
  11. game — a match
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. bore — to tire
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. game — wild animals
  17. track — a song
  18. track — a path
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. lean — to bend
  21. fine — all right
  22. bore — to drill
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. mug — to rob

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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