diff --git a/__TEST__/hyperaudio-lite.test.js b/__TEST__/hyperaudio-lite.test.js
index 5b9ff0d..b6fa1bd 100644
--- a/__TEST__/hyperaudio-lite.test.js
+++ b/__TEST__/hyperaudio-lite.test.js
@@ -414,6 +414,29 @@ test("setPlayHead updates currentTime and plays if playOnClick is true", () => {
   expect(ht.myPlayer.play).toHaveBeenCalled();
 });
 
+test("setPlayHead tracks the clicked word when timestamps are duplicated (#269)", () => {
+  const spans = document.querySelectorAll("span[data-m]");
+  const lastWordInFirstParagraph = spans[4];
+  const firstWordInSecondParagraph = spans[5];
+  const originalTimestamp = lastWordInFirstParagraph.dataset.m;
+
+  lastWordInFirstParagraph.dataset.m = firstWordInSecondParagraph.dataset.m;
+  ht.wordArr = ht.createWordArray(spans);
+  ht.myPlayer = { setTime: jest.fn(), play: jest.fn(), paused: true };
+  ht.playOnClick = false;
+
+  ht.setPlayHead({ target: firstWordInSecondParagraph });
+
+  expect(lastWordInFirstParagraph.parentNode.classList.contains("active")).toBe(false);
+  expect(firstWordInSecondParagraph.parentNode.classList.contains("active")).toBe(true);
+  expect(ht.activeWordElement).toBe(firstWordInSecondParagraph);
+  expect(ht.activeParentElement).toBe(firstWordInSecondParagraph.parentNode);
+
+  lastWordInFirstParagraph.dataset.m = originalTimestamp;
+  ht.wordArr = ht.createWordArray(spans);
+  ht.clearActiveClasses();
+});
+
 test("preparePlayHead sets paused to false and calls checkPlayHead", () => {
   ht.checkPlayHead = jest.fn();
   ht.preparePlayHead();
diff --git a/js/hyperaudio-lite.js b/js/hyperaudio-lite.js
index c86b2a3..22e4714 100644
--- a/js/hyperaudio-lite.js
+++ b/js/hyperaudio-lite.js
@@ -732,8 +732,16 @@ class HyperaudioLite {
     // the playback loop owns the active word; when paused, we explicitly mark
     // the clicked word so the user sees what they clicked.
     if (this.myPlayer.paused && target.dataset.m) {
+      if (this.activeWordElement && this.activeWordElement !== target) {
+        this.activeWordElement.classList.remove('active');
+      }
+      if (this.activeParentElement && this.activeParentElement !== target.parentNode) {
+        this.activeParentElement.classList.remove('active');
+      }
       target.classList.add('active');
       target.parentNode.classList.add('active');
+      this.activeWordElement = target;
+      this.activeParentElement = target.parentNode;
     }
 
     if (!isNaN(timeSecs)) {
diff --git a/js/hyperaudio-lite.mjs b/js/hyperaudio-lite.mjs
index 82f9f7c..3e56790 100644
--- a/js/hyperaudio-lite.mjs
+++ b/js/hyperaudio-lite.mjs
@@ -732,8 +732,16 @@ class HyperaudioLite {
     // the playback loop owns the active word; when paused, we explicitly mark
     // the clicked word so the user sees what they clicked.
     if (this.myPlayer.paused && target.dataset.m) {
+      if (this.activeWordElement && this.activeWordElement !== target) {
+        this.activeWordElement.classList.remove('active');
+      }
+      if (this.activeParentElement && this.activeParentElement !== target.parentNode) {
+        this.activeParentElement.classList.remove('active');
+      }
       target.classList.add('active');
       target.parentNode.classList.add('active');
+      this.activeWordElement = target;
+      this.activeParentElement = target.parentNode;
     }
 
     if (!isNaN(timeSecs)) {