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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. track — to keep track
  3. track — a song
  4. squash — the sport
  5. deal — to handle
  6. mug — a face
  7. present — there
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. fall — to drop
  10. mug — to rob
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. wound — an injury
  13. pit — in a race
  14. pit — a hole
  15. present — the time now
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. track — a path
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. fall — the season
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. fall — to drop
  22. squash — to crush
  23. mug — a cup
  24. wound — an injury

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