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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 120 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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. spell — letters
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. can — a tin
  5. ball — a great time
  6. track — a song
  7. can — a tin
  8. lie — to recline
  9. track — a path
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. ball — a dance
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. chip — for betting
  16. field — farmland
  17. track — to keep track
  18. spell — magic
  19. field — a subject
  20. chip — to eat
  21. dip — to sink
  22. field — for sport
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. can — to be able to

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