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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. bound — certain
  4. bound — tied together
  5. tube — a container
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. mark — a trace
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. board — a committee
  10. lie — to recline
  11. bound — obliged
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. mark — a grade
  14. track — a song
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. board — to get on
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. tube — the underground
  23. track — to keep track
  24. snap — to click

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