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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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. current — of water
  4. track — a song
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. chair — a leader
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. firm — steady
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. current — happening now
  15. dip — to sink
  16. kick — in football
  17. pass — a permit
  18. firm — a company
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. current — electric
  22. firm — decided
  23. track — a path
  24. kick — with a leg

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