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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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. leaves — of a tree
  4. key — in music
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. cap — a lid
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. key — the most important part
  10. club — for dancing
  11. track — a song
  12. key — for a lock
  13. degree — from a university
  14. club — for golf
  15. row — to paddle
  16. row — a line
  17. track — a path
  18. degree — an amount
  19. degree — temperature
  20. track — to keep track
  21. cap — of ice
  22. cap — a hat
  23. club — a group
  24. leaves — lets stay

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