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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. foot — a measure
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. swing — in golf
  6. net — for catching
  7. track — a path
  8. squash — the sport
  9. swing — to play on
  10. net — after costs
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. swing — music
  13. track — a song
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. squash — to crush
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. net — in sport
  20. kick — in football
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. kick — a thrill

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