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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. mug — to rob
  4. track — a song
  5. pass — a permit
  6. mug — a cup
  7. date — the fruit
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. staff — employees
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. staff — a stick
  19. staff — employees
  20. track — a path
  21. mug — a face
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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