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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. track — a path
  4. present — the time now
  5. track — a song
  6. pop — music
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. toast — bread
  9. lean — thin
  10. roll — a list
  11. track — to keep track
  12. mark — a trace
  13. present — a gift
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. mark — a grade
  18. pop — to visit
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. roll — a cake
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. present — there
  23. pop — soda
  24. mouse — the animal

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