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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.

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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. pound — a weight
  3. track — to keep track
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. fine — all right
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. track — a song
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. track — a path
  11. swing — in golf
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. lie — to recline
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. swing — to play on
  17. fine — high quality
  18. swing — music

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