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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 120 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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. track — a song
  3. track — a path
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. pitch — completely
  6. present — a gift
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. present — there
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. present — the time now
  13. deal — to handle
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. hide — to keep secret

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