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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. rock — music
  3. rock — a stone
  4. swing — in golf
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. shower — to wash
  7. track — a path
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. swing — music
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. track — a song
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. craft — boats
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. craft — a skill
  22. shower — rain
  23. swing — to play on
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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