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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. root — the cause
  6. staff — a stick
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. track — a song
  9. rest — what's left
  10. track — to keep track
  11. firm — steady
  12. staff — employees
  13. rest — a break
  14. bat — the animal
  15. staff — employees
  16. firm — decided
  17. root — of a word
  18. root — of a plant
  19. wake — a trail
  20. rest — what's left
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. firm — a company
  23. rush — hurry
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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