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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: current · bore · track · cabinet · temple · nail · tear · rest

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. tear — to rip
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. tear — from crying
  5. track — a path
  6. rest — a break
  7. current — electric
  8. rest — what's left
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. rest — what's left
  12. current — happening now
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. bore — to tire
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. current — of water
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bore — to drill
  19. tear — from crying
  20. track — a song
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. track — to keep track
  24. nail — for a hammer

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