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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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  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. drill — army training
  2. track — a path
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. cap — of ice
  5. track — to keep track
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. object — a thing
  9. drill — a practice
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. lie — to recline
  12. rush — hurry
  13. cap — a lid
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. object — to protest
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. cap — a hat
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. drill — the tool
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. object — an aim
  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