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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: roll · pop · fine · lean · bore · chest · track · wave

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. chest — a box
  3. pop — to visit
  4. bore — to tire
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. track — a song
  7. pop — soda
  8. lean — to bend
  9. fine — all right
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. track — to keep track
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. roll — a cake
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. pop — music
  16. fine — high quality
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. chest — of your body
  19. lean — thin
  20. roll — a list
  21. bore — to drill
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. track — a path

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