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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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. sharp — clever
  5. cue — for pool
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. track — a song
  8. face — to point toward
  9. track — a path
  10. roll — a list
  11. cue — a signal
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. content — the amount
  15. face — part of the head
  16. face — to confront
  17. cue — a hint
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. season — of the year
  20. season — in sport
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. content — happy
  23. roll — a cake
  24. season — to add flavour

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