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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 120 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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. track — to keep track
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. degree — from a university
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. degree — an amount
  8. wind — moving air
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. track — a song
  11. degree — temperature
  12. lie — to recline
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. foot — a measure
  16. can — to be able to
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. track — a path
  19. can — a tin
  20. kick — in football
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. wind — moving air

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