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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. wake — a trail
  3. rest — a break
  4. perch — the fish
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. charge — a price
  8. rest — what's left
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. rest — what's left
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. charge — in control
  17. sharp — clever
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. track — a song
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. charge — electricity
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. track — a path
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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