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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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. shower — to wash
  3. rest — a break
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. charge — a price
  6. track — a path
  7. rest — what's left
  8. stand — to bear
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. mark — a grade
  11. rest — what's left
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. firm — decided
  15. track — a song
  16. charge — in control
  17. firm — a company
  18. ball — a dance
  19. shower — rain
  20. ball — a great time
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. charge — electricity
  23. firm — steady
  24. mark — a trace

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