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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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. mate — a friend
  5. track — a song
  6. suit — to fit
  7. tube — the underground
  8. tube — a container
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. track — to keep track
  11. present — there
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. ball — a great time
  14. present — a gift
  15. mate — to breed
  16. suit — in cards
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. pit — in a race
  19. present — the time now
  20. mate — a partner
  21. pit — a hole
  22. ball — a dance
  23. dip — to sink
  24. suit — clothes

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