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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: track · patient · mate · arm · bore · club · nail · cap

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. mate — a partner
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. mate — to breed
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. mate — a friend
  14. club — for golf
  15. track — to keep track
  16. cap — a hat
  17. track — a song
  18. club — for dancing
  19. cap — a lid
  20. track — a path
  21. cap — of ice
  22. bore — to tire
  23. club — a group
  24. nail — for a hammer

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