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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. track — a path
  3. mate — a friend
  4. lie — to recline
  5. mate — a partner
  6. bear — the animal
  7. track — a song
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. track — to keep track
  10. rash — a series
  11. club — for dancing
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. pop — to visit
  14. club — for golf
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. rash — hasty
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. club — a group
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pop — music
  22. bear — the animal
  23. mate — to breed
  24. bear — to put up with

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