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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. pop — soda
  3. track — a path
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. track — to keep track
  6. fall — to drop
  7. suit — in cards
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. suit — to fit
  10. net — in sport
  11. net — for catching
  12. spring — a coil
  13. pop — music
  14. fall — the season
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. track — a song
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. pop — to visit
  19. spring — of water
  20. net — after costs
  21. fall — to drop
  22. spring — the season
  23. suit — clothes
  24. wave — of the sea

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