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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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. track — to keep track
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. club — a group
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. rock — a stone
  13. roll — a cake
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. club — for golf
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. club — for dancing
  18. game — wild animals
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. rock — music
  21. track — a song
  22. track — a path
  23. game — a match
  24. hide — to keep secret

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