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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. track — a song
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. key — in music
  8. object — a thing
  9. wound — an injury
  10. chip — for betting
  11. chip — to eat
  12. object — to protest
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. track — to keep track
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. object — an aim
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. wound — an injury
  20. deal — to handle
  21. key — for a lock
  22. key — the most important part
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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