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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. cue — for pool
  3. bank — for money
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. squash — to crush
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. ball — a dance
  8. ball — a great time
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. track — a path
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. track — a song
  14. cue — a signal
  15. mark — a grade
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. squash — the sport
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bank — for money
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. mark — a trace
  24. cue — a hint

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