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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. tube — a container
  3. shower — to wash
  4. bear — the animal
  5. ball — a great time
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. track — a song
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. object — to protest
  14. bear — the animal
  15. object — a thing
  16. bank — for money
  17. track — a path
  18. ball — a dance
  19. shower — rain
  20. tube — the underground
  21. object — an aim
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. leaves — lets stay

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