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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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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: cell · cabinet · pitch · track · rash · tear · bore · present

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. track — a song
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. tear — to rip
  6. tear — from crying
  7. present — there
  8. tear — from crying
  9. bore — to drill
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. track — to keep track
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. rash — hasty
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cell — in biology
  16. pitch — completely
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. cell — a phone
  20. present — a gift
  21. present — the time now
  22. rash — a series
  23. track — a path
  24. bore — to tire

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