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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 120 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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. charge — in control
  3. cue — for pool
  4. track — to keep track
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. net — in sport
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. content — the amount
  12. charge — electricity
  13. net — after costs
  14. charge — a price
  15. track — a song
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. net — for catching
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. cue — a hint
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. content — happy
  24. cue — a signal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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