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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. track — to keep track
  3. fork — in a road
  4. face — to confront
  5. face — to point toward
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. track — a path
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. snap — to click
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. net — after costs
  13. track — a song
  14. face — part of the head
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. net — for catching
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. deal — to handle
  24. jam — a tight spot

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