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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. track — a path
  4. tube — a container
  5. mark — a grade
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. mark — a trace
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. roll — a cake
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. track — a song
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. track — to keep track
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. tube — the underground
  17. wind — moving air
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. wind — moving air
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. sharp — clever
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. roll — a list
  24. wind — to turn a key

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