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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. saw — the tool
  3. chip — to eat
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. wound — an injury
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. track — a path
  9. prune — to trim
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. wound — an injury
  13. track — a song
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. saw — the tool
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. prune — to trim
  19. chip — for betting
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. track — to keep track
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. nail — for a hammer

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