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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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. tube — the underground
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. track — to keep track
  5. firm — steady
  6. tube — a container
  7. firm — a company
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. object — to protest
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. firm — decided
  15. object — a thing
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. spell — a short time
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. track — a song
  20. object — an aim
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. spell — letters
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. spell — magic

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