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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. net — for catching
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. mark — a grade
  5. track — a path
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. lean — thin
  10. object — to protest
  11. net — in sport
  12. object — a thing
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. lean — to bend
  15. mark — a trace
  16. pop — soda
  17. object — an aim
  18. net — after costs
  19. pop — music
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. pop — to visit
  22. scale — size or range
  23. scale — in music
  24. track — to keep track

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