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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. track — a song
  3. perch — the fish
  4. suit — to fit
  5. deal — to handle
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. chair — a leader
  9. net — after costs
  10. track — a path
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. suit — clothes
  13. staff — employees
  14. net — for catching
  15. staff — employees
  16. suit — in cards
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. staff — a stick
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. net — in sport
  24. coach — a trainer

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