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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 116 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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. fine — all right
  4. can — a tin
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. pitch — completely
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. track — to keep track
  10. fine — high quality
  11. wake — a trail
  12. can — a tin
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. can — to be able to
  17. track — a path
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. squash — the sport
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. squash — to crush
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. bulb — for light

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