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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. rest — what's left
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. mate — a partner
  5. field — for sport
  6. can — a tin
  7. track — a path
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. firm — decided
  10. rest — a break
  11. field — farmland
  12. dip — to sink
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. firm — steady
  15. track — a song
  16. vault — a safe
  17. can — a tin
  18. firm — a company
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. field — a subject
  21. rest — what's left
  22. mate — to breed
  23. can — to be able to
  24. mate — a friend

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