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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. track — a path
  6. bank — of a river
  7. sharp — clever
  8. field — for sport
  9. field — a subject
  10. lean — to bend
  11. pit — a hole
  12. present — there
  13. bank — for money
  14. present — a gift
  15. pit — in a race
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. present — the time now
  18. field — farmland
  19. lean — thin
  20. track — a song
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. bank — for money
  24. mouse — the animal

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