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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: bore · cap · racket · track · content · nail · key · club

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bore — to drill
  3. key — in music
  4. content — happy
  5. track — a song
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. track — a path
  9. bore — to tire
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. cap — of ice
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. track — to keep track
  14. club — a group
  15. cap — a lid
  16. club — for golf
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. key — for a lock
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. cap — a hat
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. key — the most important part
  23. content — the amount
  24. club — for dancing

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