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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: bore · board · mouse · track · rash · scale · kick · saw

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. scale — size or range
  3. bore — to tire
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. track — a path
  6. rash — a series
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. saw — the tool
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. rash — hasty
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. bore — to drill
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. track — to keep track
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. board — a committee
  20. kick — in football
  21. scale — in music
  22. board — to get on
  23. saw — the tool
  24. mouse — for a computer

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