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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. drill — a practice
  3. rest — what's left
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. bank — for money
  8. drill — army training
  9. bank — for money
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bank — of a river
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. track — a path
  16. rest — a break
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. chair — a leader
  20. track — a song
  21. rest — what's left
  22. drill — the tool
  23. sharp — clever
  24. racket — for tennis

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