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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 120 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: press · mine · calf · bore · nail · tear · rock · track

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. tear — from crying
  3. press — newspapers
  4. track — to keep track
  5. mine — for digging
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. tear — to rip
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. press — a publisher
  12. track — a path
  13. track — a song
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. press — to push
  19. bore — to tire
  20. bore — to drill
  21. tear — from crying
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. rock — music
  24. calf — of the leg

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