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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. rest — what's left
  3. track — to keep track
  4. rash — hasty
  5. track — a path
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. suit — in cards
  9. dip — to sink
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. rest — what's left
  15. suit — to fit
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. content — the amount
  18. content — happy
  19. rest — a break
  20. rash — a series
  21. suit — clothes
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. dip — a sauce

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