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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  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. track — to keep track
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bat — the animal
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. march — the month
  6. suit — to fit
  7. tube — a container
  8. suit — clothes
  9. sharp — clever
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. march — the month
  14. track — a song
  15. march — music
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. bear — the animal
  22. tube — the underground
  23. suit — in cards
  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