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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. deal — to handle
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. can — a tin
  5. bear — the animal
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. bear — the animal
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. pass — a permit
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. fork — in a road
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. can — to be able to
  14. dip — to sink
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. can — a tin
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. track — a path
  22. track — a song
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. fork — a garden tool

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