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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. degree — temperature
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. fall — to drop
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. rush — hurry
  7. track — a path
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. track — a song
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. track — to keep track
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. degree — from a university
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. bat — the animal
  17. degree — an amount
  18. fall — the season
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. fall — to drop
  22. pitch — completely
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. rush — to hurry

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