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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: key · track · rule · nail · tear · prune · plane · bore

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  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. track — a path
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. key — for a lock
  5. tear — from crying
  6. tear — to rip
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. track — to keep track
  9. prune — to trim
  10. track — a song
  11. key — the most important part
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. rule — government
  14. key — in music
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bore — to tire
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. plane — a tool
  21. tear — from crying
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. rule — a law
  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