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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. deal — to handle
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rest — a break
  7. field — for sport
  8. lie — to recline
  9. land — a country
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. field — farmland
  12. track — to keep track
  13. land — to come down
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. track — a path
  19. land — ground
  20. lean — thin
  21. track — a song
  22. lean — to bend
  23. rest — what's left
  24. field — a subject

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