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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  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. lie — an untruth
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. object — a thing
  7. track — to keep track
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stem — to come from
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. object — to protest
  13. spring — of water
  14. object — an aim
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. lie — to recline
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. track — a path
  21. spring — a coil
  22. spring — the season
  23. stem — of a plant
  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