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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. track — a song
  3. rest — what's left
  4. shower — rain
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bear — the animal
  7. track — a path
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. drill — army training
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bear — the animal
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. rest — a break
  19. rest — what's left
  20. drill — a practice
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. drill — the tool
  23. shower — to wash
  24. pass — a permit

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