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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. row — to paddle
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. staff — employees
  9. chair — a leader
  10. track — a song
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. row — a line
  13. staff — a stick
  14. ball — a great time
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. fine — all right
  17. fine — high quality
  18. staff — employees
  19. fork — in a road
  20. ball — a dance
  21. track — a path
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. fine — a penalty

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