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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 120 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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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 · cabinet · calf · cue · wake · net · march · present

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. wake — a trail
  3. track — a song
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cue — a hint
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. march — the month
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. track — to keep track
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. present — a gift
  13. cue — a signal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. cue — for pool
  16. present — there
  17. march — the month
  18. march — music
  19. net — after costs
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. net — in sport
  22. net — for catching
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. present — the time now

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