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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. track — to keep track
  3. chest — of your body
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. chest — of your body
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mark — a trace
  9. rest — what's left
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. season — of the year
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. season — in sport
  14. mark — a grade
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. rest — a break
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. track — a song
  19. track — a path
  20. rest — what's left
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. patient — a sick person

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