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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. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. field — for sport
  3. firm — steady
  4. field — a subject
  5. track — a path
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. tube — a container
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. firm — decided
  10. can — a tin
  11. mark — a trace
  12. field — farmland
  13. track — a song
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. can — a tin
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. tube — the underground
  18. snap — to click
  19. mark — a grade
  20. can — to be able to
  21. firm — a company
  22. squash — to crush
  23. squash — the sport
  24. tube — in a tire

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