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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. track — a path
  4. track — to keep track
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mug — a face
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. mug — a cup
  10. staff — employees
  11. craft — boats
  12. staff — a stick
  13. last — final
  14. rash — hasty
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. last — finally
  17. mug — to rob
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. staff — employees
  20. craft — a skill
  21. last — to go on
  22. track — a song
  23. wake — a trail
  24. rash — a series

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