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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. track — a song
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. rock — music
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. foot — a measure
  10. lie — to recline
  11. suit — clothes
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. rock — a stone
  15. track — a path
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. suit — in cards
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. drill — the tool
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. drill — a practice
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. drill — army training
  24. track — to keep track

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