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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: degree · track · cue · mark · coach · bear · bore · fan

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  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 drill
  2. degree — from a university
  3. cue — a signal
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. track — a song
  8. bore — to tire
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. bear — the animal
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. track — to keep track
  14. track — a path
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mark — a trace
  17. degree — temperature
  18. degree — an amount
  19. cue — a hint
  20. cue — for pool
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bear — the animal
  23. mark — a grade
  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