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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. row — to paddle
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. wax — to grow
  7. track — a path
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. track — to keep track
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. ball — a great time
  13. suit — to fit
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. track — a song
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. ball — a dance
  19. lie — to recline
  20. pound — a weight
  21. fork — in a road
  22. suit — in cards
  23. row — a line
  24. row — a quarrel

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