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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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. track — a song
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. saw — the tool
  5. track — to keep track
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. staff — employees
  9. band — a music group
  10. rest — a break
  11. staff — a stick
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. rest — what's left
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. lie — to recline
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. rest — what's left
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. staff — employees
  21. band — a ring
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. track — a path
  24. saw — the tool

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