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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 116 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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. can — to be able to
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. rest — a break
  6. track — to keep track
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rock — music
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. can — a tin
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. can — a tin
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. track — a song
  17. tear — to rip
  18. rock — a stone
  19. rest — what's left
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. tear — from crying
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. tear — from crying
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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