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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bat — the animal
  3. track — a song
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. object — an aim
  6. mark — a trace
  7. object — to protest
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. net — for catching
  12. track — to keep track
  13. net — in sport
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. lie — to recline
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. net — after costs
  21. mark — a grade
  22. object — a thing
  23. track — a path
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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