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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. bear — the animal
  4. prune — to trim
  5. track — to keep track
  6. bear — the animal
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. swing — music
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. cue — for pool
  12. track — a song
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. cue — a hint
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. prune — to trim
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. swing — to play on
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. swing — in golf
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. cue — a signal
  24. chair — a leader

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