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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. track — a path
  3. mark — a grade
  4. fine — all right
  5. current — electric
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. current — of water
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. track — a song
  13. track — to keep track
  14. rock — a stone
  15. fine — high quality
  16. wake — a trail
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. current — happening now
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. rock — music
  21. mark — a trace
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. pitch — completely
  24. fine — a penalty

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