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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. track — a path
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. march — the month
  5. march — music
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. current — electric
  9. track — to keep track
  10. track — a song
  11. wind — moving air
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. current — of water
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. march — the month
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. mark — a grade
  20. wake — a trail
  21. current — happening now
  22. mark — a trace
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. wind — moving air

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