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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. rest — what's left
  4. track — a path
  5. squash — the sport
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. present — the time now
  8. rest — a break
  9. present — there
  10. track — a song
  11. rest — what's left
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. present — a gift
  16. race — a contest
  17. race — the arms race
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. squash — to crush
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — the animal
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. race — humankind

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