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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. track — a song
  4. track — a path
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. chip — for betting
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. wake — a trail
  12. chair — a leader
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. rush — hurry
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. prune — to trim
  21. chip — to eat
  22. prune — to trim
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. chair — to sit on

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