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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. fork — in a road
  3. lean — thin
  4. club — a group
  5. club — for golf
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. current — happening now
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. current — of water
  10. lean — to bend
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. current — electric
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. track — a path
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. club — for dancing
  21. track — a song
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. rush — hurry
  24. fork — to eat with

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