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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.

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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. pop — to visit
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. track — a song
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. swing — in golf
  7. bank — for money
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. swing — music
  11. bank — of a river
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — a break
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. bank — for money
  18. pop — music
  19. track — a path
  20. chair — a leader
  21. pop — soda
  22. swing — to play on
  23. wake — a trail
  24. chair — a professorship

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