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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. pitch — completely
  5. track — to keep track
  6. saw — the tool
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. roll — a list
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. toast — bread
  16. track — a path
  17. wake — a trail
  18. shower — rain
  19. roll — a cake
  20. saw — the tool
  21. shower — to wash
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. wake — before a funeral

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