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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 120 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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. rash — a series
  3. club — for golf
  4. track — a path
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. face — to point toward
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. fine — high quality
  10. face — to confront
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. club — a group
  14. stem — to come from
  15. face — part of the head
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. rash — hasty
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. dip — to sink
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. track — to keep track
  22. fine — all right
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. club — for dancing

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