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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.

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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: current · track · bay · bore · toast · bear · deal · foot

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bore — to tire
  3. deal — to handle
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. current — electric
  9. track — a path
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — the animal
  12. foot — a measure
  13. toast — bread
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. bore — to drill
  18. current — of water
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. track — a song
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. current — happening now
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. track — to keep track

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