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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 116 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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. track — a path
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. stand — to bear
  14. lie — to recline
  15. game — a match
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. track — a song
  19. game — wild animals
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. stand — on your feet

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