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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. mug — to rob
  4. can — to be able to
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. sharp — clever
  7. track — to keep track
  8. present — there
  9. can — a tin
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. mug — a cup
  13. present — a gift
  14. fine — high quality
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. stem — to come from
  19. can — a tin
  20. fine — all right
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. mug — a face
  23. present — the time now
  24. track — a path

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