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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. mug — to rob
  3. mark — a trace
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. spell — magic
  6. craft — boats
  7. spell — letters
  8. mark — a grade
  9. mug — a cup
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. track — a path
  14. mug — a face
  15. bank — for money
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. bank — of a river
  18. craft — a skill
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. track — a song
  21. spell — a short time
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bank — for money

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