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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. fall — the season
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. track — to keep track
  5. pound — a weight
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — a break
  10. board — a committee
  11. fall — to drop
  12. board — to get on
  13. track — a song
  14. fall — to drop
  15. lie — to recline
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. track — a path
  18. pound — to hit hard

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