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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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. key — for a lock
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. track — to keep track
  6. pit — in a race
  7. lean — thin
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. key — the most important part
  10. key — in music
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. lie — to recline
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. content — happy
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. lean — to bend
  20. content — the amount
  21. pound — a weight
  22. stem — to come from
  23. pit — a hole
  24. track — a song

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