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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. pop — soda
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. track — to keep track
  5. track — a path
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. track — a song
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. pitch — completely
  11. pop — to visit
  12. cap — a lid
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. saw — the tool
  15. cap — of ice
  16. lean — thin
  17. cap — a hat
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. pop — music
  20. saw — the tool
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. lean — to bend
  23. lie — to recline
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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