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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. bear — the animal
  3. track — a song
  4. land — to come down
  5. track — a path
  6. mate — to breed
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mate — a friend
  9. mate — a partner
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. track — to keep track
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. land — ground
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bear — the animal
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. prune — to trim
  23. prune — to trim
  24. land — a country

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