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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. track — to keep track
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. clip — for paper
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. clip — to cut
  12. track — a path
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. squash — the sport
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. squash — to crush
  18. track — a song
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mark — a grade
  21. clip — a video
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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