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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: drill · bowl · bore · mug · track · key · cap · fall

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. cap — a hat
  3. mug — a cup
  4. cap — a lid
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. fall — the season
  7. key — in music
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. track — to keep track
  10. fall — to drop
  11. key — for a lock
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. drill — the tool
  14. mug — a face
  15. bore — to drill
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. mug — to rob
  18. fall — to drop
  19. bore — to tire
  20. key — the most important part
  21. cap — of ice
  22. track — a song
  23. drill — army training
  24. track — a path

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