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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.

Make a worksheet

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. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  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. bound — certain
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. pit — a hole
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. staff — employees
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. staff — employees
  10. present — a gift
  11. staff — a stick
  12. pit — in a race
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. track — a path
  15. present — the time now
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. present — there
  20. bound — obliged
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. bound — tied together
  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