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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. key — for a lock
  4. key — the most important part
  5. rule — a law
  6. track — to keep track
  7. board — a committee
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. key — in music
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. mate — a friend
  12. board — to get on
  13. craft — boats
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. craft — a skill
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. date — the fruit
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. mate — to breed
  22. rule — government
  23. mate — a partner
  24. track — a song

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