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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. bear — the animal
  3. face — to confront
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. swing — music
  6. swing — in golf
  7. face — to point toward
  8. track — a song
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. chip — for betting
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. bear — the animal
  14. lean — thin
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. chip — to eat
  18. lean — to bend
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. swing — to play on
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. face — part of the head
  24. track — a path

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