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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: pit · deal · track · wake · mug · swing · foot · ball

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. track — a song
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. pit — a hole
  6. swing — to play on
  7. swing — in golf
  8. ball — a great time
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. deal — to handle
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. mug — a cup
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. mug — a face
  15. track — to keep track
  16. swing — music
  17. track — a path
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. wake — a trail
  22. ball — a dance
  23. mug — to rob
  24. pit — in a race

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