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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. rash — hasty
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. tear — from crying
  9. key — in music
  10. key — the most important part
  11. track — a song
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. track — a path
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. rash — a series
  17. tear — from crying
  18. mug — a cup
  19. key — for a lock
  20. fine — all right
  21. tear — to rip
  22. fine — high quality
  23. mug — to rob
  24. mug — a face

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