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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: court · mug · bore · bay · date · track · bear · foot

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. mug — to rob
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bear — the animal
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. bore — to tire
  10. date — the fruit
  11. track — a path
  12. track — a song
  13. mug — a face
  14. foot — a measure
  15. bear — the animal
  16. track — to keep track
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. court — of law
  19. court — for sport
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. mug — a cup
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. court — of a king
  24. bore — gave birth

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