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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. charge — a price
  4. wound — an injury
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. wind — moving air
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. lie — to recline
  11. charge — in control
  12. track — a path
  13. wind — moving air
  14. pitch — completely
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. track — to keep track
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. charge — electricity
  19. wound — an injury
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. pound — a weight
  24. track — a song

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