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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 116 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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. pit — a hole
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. track — to keep track
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. pit — in a race
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. track — a song
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. rash — a series
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. track — a path
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. tube — a container
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. tube — the underground
  24. snap — to click

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