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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.

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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. club — for golf
  5. dip — to sink
  6. firm — a company
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. track — to keep track
  10. wake — a trail
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. club — for dancing
  13. track — a path
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. row — a line
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. club — a group
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. firm — decided
  21. firm — steady
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. row — to paddle
  24. track — a song

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