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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
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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: mate · jam · mark · fall · safe · pop · key · track

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. mate — a friend
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. mark — a grade
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. key — for a lock
  10. key — the most important part
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fall — to drop
  13. track — to keep track
  14. track — a path
  15. key — in music
  16. mate — a partner
  17. mark — a trace
  18. pop — to visit
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. mate — to breed
  21. pop — soda
  22. track — a song
  23. fall — the season
  24. safe — a strongbox

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