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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. tube — the underground
  6. mark — a grade
  7. tube — a container
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. wake — a trail
  15. spell — letters
  16. track — a path
  17. lie — to recline
  18. track — a song
  19. mark — a trace
  20. spell — magic
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. spell — a short time

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