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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. track — to keep track
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. track — a song
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. rash — a series
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. snap — to click
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. rash — hasty
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. lie — to recline
  19. mark — a trace
  20. track — a path
  21. pass — a permit
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. date — the fruit

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