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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. bank — of a river
  6. track — a song
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. ball — a great time
  9. pit — in a race
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. ball — a dance
  13. track — a path
  14. lie — to recline
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. current — of water
  17. bank — for money
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. current — happening now
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. bank — for money
  22. current — electric
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pit — a hole

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