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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. track — to keep track
  3. track — a path
  4. present — the time now
  5. tube — a container
  6. fine — high quality
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. face — to point toward
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. face — part of the head
  13. track — a song
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. present — there
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. prune — to trim
  19. face — to confront
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. prune — to trim
  22. tube — the underground
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. fine — all right

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