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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. date — the fruit
  4. mark — a grade
  5. mark — a trace
  6. cue — a hint
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. net — after costs
  9. charge — in control
  10. net — in sport
  11. cue — for pool
  12. track — a path
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. charge — electricity
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. cue — a signal
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. charge — a price
  19. net — for catching
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. track — a song
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. racket — for tennis

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