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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. rock — a stone
  4. track — a song
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. suit — to fit
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. suit — in cards
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. rash — a series
  15. deal — to handle
  16. track — to keep track
  17. rash — hasty
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. rock — music
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. pitch — completely
  24. suit — clothes

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