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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. cap — a lid
  3. track — a song
  4. wake — a trail
  5. track — to keep track
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. squash — to crush
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. cap — a hat
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. spell — magic
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. present — the time now
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. spell — letters
  17. present — there
  18. cue — a signal
  19. squash — the sport
  20. cue — for pool
  21. spell — a short time
  22. track — a path
  23. cue — a hint
  24. present — a gift

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