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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: nail · pound · bore · coach · track · present · race · rock

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. rock — a stone
  3. pound — a weight
  4. bore — to tire
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. track — to keep track
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. present — a gift
  14. present — there
  15. track — a song
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. rock — music
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. race — a contest
  20. race — the arms race
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. race — humankind
  23. present — the time now
  24. bore — to drill

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