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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. track — to keep track
  3. chest — of your body
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mug — to rob
  7. wake — a trail
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. track — a song
  10. mug — a face
  11. mark — a grade
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. ground — a position
  14. rock — music
  15. chest — of your body
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. ground — the earth
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. ground — crushed
  20. track — a path
  21. chest — a box
  22. mug — a cup
  23. rock — a stone
  24. mark — to pay attention

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