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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 116 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: track · key · dip · bore · field · mouse · game · bank

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  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. bore — to tire
  2. bank — of a river
  3. field — farmland
  4. track — to keep track
  5. key — for a lock
  6. bore — to drill
  7. game — wild animals
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. field — a subject
  10. track — a song
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. game — a match
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. key — in music
  17. track — a path
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. bank — for money
  20. dip — to sink
  21. field — for sport
  22. key — the most important part
  23. bank — for money
  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