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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. pop — to visit
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. mark — a grade
  5. spell — letters
  6. kick — in football
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. mark — a trace
  9. pop — soda
  10. track — a song
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. spell — magic
  13. pop — music
  14. track — to keep track
  15. bear — the animal
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. spell — a short time
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. bear — the animal
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. track — a path

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