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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. track — to keep track
  3. scale — in music
  4. tear — to rip
  5. track — a song
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. dip — to sink
  8. suit — to fit
  9. fine — high quality
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. cue — a signal
  14. cue — for pool
  15. suit — in cards
  16. scale — size or range
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. tear — from crying
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. fine — all right
  21. cue — a hint
  22. track — a path
  23. suit — clothes
  24. tear — from crying

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