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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.

Make a worksheet

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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. roll — a list
  3. staff — a stick
  4. hand — in cards
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. roll — a cake
  7. track — a path
  8. staff — employees
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. pop — soda
  15. hand — help
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. track — a song
  18. staff — employees
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. pop — to visit
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. pop — music

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