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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. tube — a container
  3. lie — to recline
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. tear — from crying
  6. key — the most important part
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. band — a music group
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. tear — to rip
  11. mark — a trace
  12. band — a ring
  13. tear — from crying
  14. mate — a friend
  15. mark — a grade
  16. mate — to breed
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. mate — a partner
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. key — in music
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. key — for a lock

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