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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. rest — a break
  3. chip — for betting
  4. content — happy
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. face — part of the head
  7. club — a group
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. content — the amount
  10. face — to point toward
  11. club — for golf
  12. face — to confront
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. rest — what's left
  15. track — a song
  16. chip — to eat
  17. rest — what's left
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. club — for dancing
  21. pitch — completely
  22. track — a path
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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