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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. track — a path
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. scale — size or range
  7. track — a song
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. track — to keep track
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. lie — to recline
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. deal — to handle
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. scale — in music
  18. wake — a trail

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