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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 120 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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. field — farmland
  6. spring — of water
  7. mark — a grade
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. spring — the season
  11. field — for sport
  12. bore — to drill
  13. track — a path
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. mark — a trace
  17. track — a song
  18. field — a subject
  19. bore — to tire
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. spring — a coil
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. pass — a permit
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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