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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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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: track · tube · bore · bear · rock · snap · shower · nail

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. track — to keep track
  3. snap — to click
  4. shower — rain
  5. shower — to wash
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. rock — music
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bore — to tire
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. bore — to drill
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. track — a song
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. tube — a container
  23. track — a path
  24. tube — the underground

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