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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  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. track — to keep track
  2. pitch — completely
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. track — a path
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. scale — size or range
  15. pass — a permit
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. wake — a trail
  19. scale — in music
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. lie — to recline
  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