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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  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. hide — to keep secret
  2. rock — a stone
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. fine — high quality
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. track — to keep track
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. pit — a hole
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. rock — music
  11. fine — all right
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. fall — to drop
  14. fall — the season
  15. fall — to drop
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. pit — in a race
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. track — a path
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. lie — to recline
  23. lie — an untruth
  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