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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bore — to tire
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. mate — to breed
  6. track — to keep track
  7. rest — what's left
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. lie — to recline
  11. track — a path
  12. mark — a trace
  13. mate — a friend
  14. rest — a break
  15. rest — what's left
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. mate — a partner
  19. mark — a grade
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. bore — to drill
  24. track — a song

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