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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. mark — a trace
  4. track — to keep track
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. mark — a grade
  7. key — the most important part
  8. bear — the animal
  9. ball — a dance
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. track — a path
  12. key — in music
  13. bear — the animal
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. ball — a great time
  17. saw — the tool
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. key — for a lock
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. saw — the tool
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. track — a song
  24. rush — hurry

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