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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 · bear · mark · sharp · cap · track · mug · pass

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. mug — to rob
  3. cap — a hat
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mark — a grade
  6. mug — a face
  7. track — a path
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. track — to keep track
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. cap — of ice
  14. bear — the animal
  15. sharp — clever
  16. bore — to tire
  17. track — a song
  18. bore — to drill
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. cap — a lid
  22. pass — a permit
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. bear — the animal

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