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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. track — to keep track
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. track — a path
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. rush — hurry
  8. snap — to click
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. field — farmland
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. field — for sport
  14. stock — shares
  15. stem — to come from
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. field — a subject
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. stock — goods
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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