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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. firm — a company
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. rock — music
  6. track — a path
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. face — to point toward
  10. firm — decided
  11. mark — a trace
  12. tube — a container
  13. track — to keep track
  14. track — a song
  15. firm — steady
  16. face — to confront
  17. face — part of the head
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. rock — a stone
  20. mark — a grade
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. snap — to click
  24. tube — the underground

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