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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 · mate · mark · march · cabinet · suit · face · cue

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. mark — a trace
  3. track — a song
  4. mate — a friend
  5. mark — a grade
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — in cards
  8. cue — for pool
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. track — a path
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. march — music
  13. mate — a partner
  14. face — to confront
  15. cue — a signal
  16. march — the month
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mate — to breed
  19. march — the month
  20. suit — to fit
  21. face — part of the head
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. face — to point toward
  24. cue — a hint

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