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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 120 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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. staff — a stick
  3. staff — employees
  4. staff — employees
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. rule — government
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. fine — high quality
  10. fine — all right
  11. content — the amount
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. content — happy
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. squash — the sport
  19. squash — to crush
  20. rule — a law
  21. track — a path
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. track — a song

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