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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: track · content · date · mug · key · rash · pitcher · leaves

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. track — to keep track
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. mug — a cup
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. rash — a series
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. key — for a lock
  9. track — a path
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. mug — to rob
  12. content — the amount
  13. track — a song
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. mug — a face
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. key — the most important part
  19. rash — hasty
  20. key — in music
  21. content — happy
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. date — the fruit
  24. rash — on the skin

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