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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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Word bank
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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. track — to keep track
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. rest — what's left
  5. track — a song
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. rash — hasty
  9. root — the cause
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. root — of a word
  13. pit — a hole
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. clip — for paper
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. pit — in a race
  18. root — of a plant
  19. rest — what's left
  20. clip — a video
  21. track — a path
  22. rash — a series
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. clip — to cut

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