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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. ball — a great time
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. key — for a lock
  6. cap — a hat
  7. key — the most important part
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. club — for golf
  11. stand — to bear
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. club — a group
  14. cap — a lid
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ball — a dance
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. cap — of ice
  20. track — a song
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. key — in music
  23. club — for dancing
  24. track — a path

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