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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. lie — to recline
  3. field — farmland
  4. bear — the animal
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. bear — the animal
  7. track — to keep track
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. track — a path
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. field — for sport
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. pass — a permit
  14. key — for a lock
  15. fine — all right
  16. field — a subject
  17. key — the most important part
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. key — in music
  23. fine — high quality
  24. fine — a penalty

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