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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 116 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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. track — to keep track
  3. object — to protest
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. present — a gift
  8. key — in music
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. key — for a lock
  11. object — a thing
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. track — a song
  14. ball — a dance
  15. key — the most important part
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. wake — a trail
  19. object — an aim
  20. track — a path
  21. ball — a great time
  22. sharp — clever
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. present — the time now

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