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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. mark — a trace
  4. mug — a face
  5. date — the fruit
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. board — to get on
  8. board — a committee
  9. staff — employees
  10. track — a path
  11. foot — a measure
  12. staff — a stick
  13. track — to keep track
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mug — a cup
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. kick — in football
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. staff — employees
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. mug — to rob

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