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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 didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. stand — to bear
  4. wake — a trail
  5. bear — the animal
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. scale — in music
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. lie — to recline
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bear — the animal
  13. season — in sport
  14. pit — a hole
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. pit — in a race
  17. track — a path
  18. season — of the year
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. scale — size or range
  21. track — a song
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. bear — to put up with

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