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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. march — music
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. mark — a trace
  6. track — a path
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. key — in music
  9. track — to keep track
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. bass — low music
  12. march — the month
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. key — for a lock
  15. bass — the fish
  16. key — the most important part
  17. vault — a safe
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. track — a song
  20. march — the month
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. mark — a grade

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