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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. wound — an injury
  5. track — a song
  6. pitch — completely
  7. wound — an injury
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — to recline
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. track — to keep track
  13. rock — music
  14. cell — in biology
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. cell — a phone
  19. rock — a stone
  20. saw — the tool
  21. track — a path
  22. saw — the tool
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. bulb — for light

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