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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. face — to confront
  3. rock — music
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. can — a tin
  6. track — a song
  7. rash — hasty
  8. face — part of the head
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. tear — to rip
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. track — a path
  13. rock — a stone
  14. rash — a series
  15. face — to point toward
  16. cue — for pool
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. can — to be able to
  20. can — a tin
  21. cue — a hint
  22. tear — from crying
  23. tear — from crying
  24. cue — a signal

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