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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. wound — an injury
  4. track — a path
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. mug — to rob
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. mug — a face
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. track — a song
  17. wound — an injury
  18. rash — hasty
  19. mug — a cup
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. rash — a series

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