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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. track — to keep track
  3. cue — a hint
  4. firm — steady
  5. track — a path
  6. pop — music
  7. bear — the animal
  8. cue — a signal
  9. ball — a dance
  10. track — a song
  11. bear — the animal
  12. ball — a great time
  13. firm — a company
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. firm — decided
  16. pop — soda
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. cue — for pool

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