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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 124 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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. track — a path
  3. face — part of the head
  4. tear — from crying
  5. club — for dancing
  6. club — for golf
  7. face — to confront
  8. tear — to rip
  9. march — the month
  10. mug — a cup
  11. mug — a face
  12. tear — from crying
  13. track — to keep track
  14. face — to point toward
  15. march — music
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. track — a song
  20. mug — to rob
  21. march — the month
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. club — a group
  24. fan — a supporter

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