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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 120 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 ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. file — a tool
  4. track — to keep track
  5. tear — to rip
  6. current — happening now
  7. current — of water
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — to be able to
  11. track — a song
  12. tear — from crying
  13. row — a line
  14. current — electric
  15. track — a path
  16. suit — in cards
  17. can — a tin
  18. file — a document
  19. suit — clothes
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. tear — from crying
  22. suit — to fit
  23. row — to paddle
  24. file — a line of people

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