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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. game — wild animals
  3. march — music
  4. charge — a price
  5. track — to keep track
  6. cue — a signal
  7. track — a path
  8. cue — for pool
  9. kick — in football
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. rock — a stone
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. game — a match
  14. mark — a grade
  15. march — the month
  16. charge — electricity
  17. rock — music
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. charge — in control
  20. mark — a trace
  21. cue — a hint
  22. track — a song
  23. march — the month
  24. kick — with a leg

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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