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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: bass · rock · bore · vault · fine · staff · track · field

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. fine — all right
  5. track — a song
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. field — a subject
  8. field — farmland
  9. rock — music
  10. vault — a safe
  11. track — a path
  12. track — to keep track
  13. staff — employees
  14. staff — employees
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bass — the fish
  17. bass — low music
  18. field — for sport
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. fine — high quality
  22. bore — to tire
  23. rock — a stone
  24. staff — a stick

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