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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: stock · track · calf · bore · pass · snap · board · fall

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. fall — the season
  3. board — to get on
  4. pass — a permit
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. track — to keep track
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. track — a path
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. fall — to drop
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. board — a committee
  15. snap — to click
  16. stock — goods
  17. fall — to drop
  18. stock — shares
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. bore — to drill
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. track — a song

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