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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. rule — a law
  3. track — to keep track
  4. present — there
  5. suit — to fit
  6. craft — a skill
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. suit — clothes
  9. chest — of your body
  10. face — to confront
  11. track — a song
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. chest — a box
  14. present — the time now
  15. face — part of the head
  16. pop — soda
  17. chest — of your body
  18. craft — boats
  19. present — a gift
  20. pop — music
  21. pop — to visit
  22. rule — government
  23. face — to point toward
  24. track — a path

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