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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. bear — the animal
  3. rest — what's left
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. march — the month
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. field — farmland
  9. bear — the animal
  10. rest — a break
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. track — a song
  13. march — music
  14. pass — a permit
  15. field — for sport
  16. track — a path
  17. field — a subject
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. rest — what's left
  24. march — the month

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