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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — to recline
  4. cap — a lid
  5. club — for dancing
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. cap — a hat
  8. content — the amount
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. club — a group
  12. content — happy
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. club — for golf
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. track — a song
  19. track — to keep track
  20. band — a music group
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. cap — of ice
  23. pass — a permit
  24. band — a ring

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