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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. track — to keep track
  4. key — the most important part
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. track — a song
  7. foot — a measure
  8. bear — the animal
  9. mate — a friend
  10. key — in music
  11. prune — to trim
  12. track — a path
  13. ball — a great time
  14. key — for a lock
  15. mate — to breed
  16. prune — to trim
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bear — the animal
  22. ball — a dance
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. foot — the bottom

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