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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. firm — steady
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. firm — decided
  6. key — in music
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. content — the amount
  9. object — a thing
  10. court — of a king
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. key — for a lock
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. court — for sport
  15. key — the most important part
  16. firm — a company
  17. track — a song
  18. track — a path
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. content — happy
  22. object — an aim
  23. court — of law
  24. object — to protest

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