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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. track — a song
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. chip — to eat
  6. swing — to play on
  7. mark — a grade
  8. current — happening now
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. swing — music
  11. fork — in a road
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. swing — in golf
  14. track — a path
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. chip — for betting
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. current — of water
  20. current — electric
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. mark — a trace
  24. chip — in a computer

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