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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 120 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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. staff — employees
  3. track — a song
  4. mark — a trace
  5. firm — decided
  6. stand — to bear
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. track — to keep track
  9. staff — a stick
  10. bore — to tire
  11. staff — employees
  12. bore — to drill
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. firm — a company
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. ball — a great time
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. mark — a grade
  22. ball — a dance
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. firm — steady

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