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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. track — a song
  3. track — a path
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. ground — crushed
  7. cap — of ice
  8. current — of water
  9. mark — a grade
  10. ground — the earth
  11. mate — to breed
  12. mate — a partner
  13. cap — a hat
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mark — a trace
  17. wake — a trail
  18. track — to keep track
  19. current — happening now
  20. current — electric
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. ground — a position
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. mate — a friend

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