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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. track — a path
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. cue — a hint
  5. staff — employees
  6. mate — a partner
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. staff — employees
  10. foot — a measure
  11. track — to keep track
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. staff — a stick
  14. track — a song
  15. mate — to breed
  16. cue — a signal
  17. cue — for pool
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. wake — a trail
  21. mate — a friend
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. ball — a dance

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