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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. track — to keep track
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. ball — a great time
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. current — electric
  9. mug — a face
  10. wake — a trail
  11. current — happening now
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. mug — a cup
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. bear — the animal
  18. current — of water
  19. mug — to rob
  20. bear — the animal
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. ball — a dance
  24. track — a song

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