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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. track — to keep track
  4. track — a song
  5. mark — a trace
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. face — part of the head
  8. mate — a friend
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. mark — a grade
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. face — to point toward
  15. track — a path
  16. face — to confront
  17. mate — to breed
  18. mug — a cup
  19. squash — the sport
  20. mate — a partner
  21. mug — to rob
  22. date — the fruit
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. mug — a face

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