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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. track — to keep track
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. object — a thing
  7. track — a path
  8. wind — moving air
  9. object — an aim
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. track — a song
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stand — to bear
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. present — there
  16. object — to protest
  17. present — a gift
  18. wind — moving air
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. racket — a loud noise

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