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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.

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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: mouse · track · ground · rock · board · kid · lean · bore

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. track — a song
  4. kid — to tease
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. track — a path
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. rock — music
  10. board — a committee
  11. lean — thin
  12. track — to keep track
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. lean — to bend
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. bore — to tire
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. ground — the earth
  20. bore — to drill
  21. rock — a stone
  22. ground — a position
  23. kid — child
  24. board — to get on

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