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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. saw — the tool
  3. swing — music
  4. drill — army training
  5. track — a song
  6. wake — a trail
  7. swing — to play on
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. pop — soda
  10. mug — a cup
  11. swing — in golf
  12. mug — to rob
  13. mug — a face
  14. charge — electricity
  15. saw — the tool
  16. charge — a price
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. drill — a practice
  19. charge — in control
  20. drill — the tool
  21. track — to keep track
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. pop — to visit
  24. pop — music

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