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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. lie — to recline
  4. current — happening now
  5. track — to keep track
  6. land — to come down
  7. pass — a permit
  8. tube — the underground
  9. rush — hurry
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. current — of water
  13. current — electric
  14. mate — a partner
  15. track — a song
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. tube — a container
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. mate — a friend
  20. track — a path
  21. mate — to breed
  22. land — ground
  23. land — a country
  24. pass — to spend time

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