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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: drill · bore · foot · fall · suit · leaves · scale · track

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. drill — a practice
  3. drill — the tool
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. fall — the season
  6. bore — to tire
  7. track — to keep track
  8. foot — a measure
  9. track — a path
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. fall — to drop
  13. fall — to drop
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bore — to drill
  17. suit — clothes
  18. drill — army training
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. scale — in music
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. suit — in cards
  24. scale — size or range

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