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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. pit — in a race
  3. wake — a trail
  4. object — a thing
  5. object — an aim
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. present — a gift
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. track — a song
  10. present — the time now
  11. game — a match
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. pit — a hole
  14. object — to protest
  15. chip — for betting
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. game — wild animals
  18. present — there
  19. chip — to eat
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. track — a path

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