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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. track — to keep track
  3. net — in sport
  4. bear — the animal
  5. charge — a price
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. net — for catching
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. charge — in control
  14. charge — electricity
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bear — the animal
  17. track — a song
  18. snap — to click
  19. track — a path
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. wake — a trail
  22. net — after costs
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. bear — to put up with

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