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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 116 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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. charge — a price
  5. drill — army training
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. track — to keep track
  9. track — a song
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. drill — the tool
  13. race — a contest
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. lie — to recline
  16. charge — in control
  17. drill — a practice
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. race — humankind
  20. charge — electricity
  21. race — the arms race
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. wave — with your hand

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