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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. track — to keep track
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. bound — certain
  7. mug — a cup
  8. mug — to rob
  9. court — for sport
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. bound — tied together
  12. court — of a king
  13. chip — to eat
  14. current — happening now
  15. court — of law
  16. current — of water
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stand — to bear
  19. track — a song
  20. current — electric
  21. bound — obliged
  22. wake — a trail
  23. mug — a face
  24. chip — for betting

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