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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. mark — a grade
  3. cap — of ice
  4. march — the month
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. track — to keep track
  7. bank — of a river
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. track — a song
  10. cap — a lid
  11. cap — a hat
  12. march — the month
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. mark — a trace
  15. bank — for money
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. march — music
  18. prune — to trim
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. prune — to trim
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. bank — for money

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