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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. mug — to rob
  3. squash — the sport
  4. swing — to play on
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. vault — a safe
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. swing — music
  9. march — the month
  10. scale — size or range
  11. current — happening now
  12. swing — in golf
  13. current — of water
  14. scale — in music
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. march — the month
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. track — a song
  19. mug — a face
  20. squash — to crush
  21. track — a path
  22. march — music
  23. current — electric
  24. mug — a cup

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