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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 bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  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. jam — in traffic
  2. track — to keep track
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. suit — clothes
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. track — a song
  8. land — to come down
  9. board — a committee
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. suit — to fit
  12. mark — a grade
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. board — to get on
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. land — a country
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. mark — a trace
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. suit — in cards
  23. land — ground
  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