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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · foot · dip · bay · bear · track · mark · object

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. mark — a trace
  4. track — a path
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bore — to tire
  8. object — an aim
  9. dip — to sink
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. object — a thing
  14. foot — a measure
  15. track — to keep track
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. object — to protest
  18. track — a song
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. mark — a grade

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