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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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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. field — a subject
  6. track — a path
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. track — to keep track
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. field — for sport
  12. mark — a grade
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. track — a song
  15. snap — to click
  16. club — for golf
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. club — a group
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. club — for dancing
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. field — farmland
  24. mark — a trace

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