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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  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. lie — to recline
  2. tear — from crying
  3. tube — a container
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. wake — a trail
  6. track — a path
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. bear — the animal
  9. tear — to rip
  10. track — a song
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. suit — to fit
  14. tube — the underground
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. suit — clothes
  17. tear — from crying
  18. suit — in cards
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. bear — the animal
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. track — to keep track
  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