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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. rock — music
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. row — a line
  9. track — a path
  10. can — a tin
  11. bear — the animal
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. rock — a stone
  14. row — to paddle
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. prune — to trim
  18. track — a song
  19. can — a tin
  20. prune — to trim
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. can — to be able to
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. patient — a sick person

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