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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. wind — moving air
  3. mark — a trace
  4. tube — the underground
  5. tube — a container
  6. mug — a cup
  7. mug — to rob
  8. mark — a grade
  9. wind — moving air
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. track — to keep track
  12. prune — to trim
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. track — a song
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. prune — to trim
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. mug — a face
  21. stand — to bear
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. track — a path
  24. bat — the animal

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