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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. track — to keep track
  6. foot — a measure
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. kid — to tease
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. object — to protest
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. track — a path
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. kid — child
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. object — an aim
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. object — a thing
  21. lie — to recline
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. jam — in traffic

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