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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. rock — music
  3. face — to confront
  4. face — part of the head
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. track — a path
  7. chest — a box
  8. stand — to bear
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. rock — a stone
  11. track — a song
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. capital — money
  15. chest — of your body
  16. staff — employees
  17. staff — employees
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. chest — of your body
  21. capital — a city
  22. face — to point toward
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. staff — a stick

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