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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. pop — soda
  3. ball — a great time
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. ball — a dance
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. track — to keep track
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. chip — for betting
  11. pop — to visit
  12. march — the month
  13. march — music
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. track — a song
  16. pop — music
  17. track — a path
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. march — the month
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. chip — to eat
  24. stand — to bear

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