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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. track — a path
  3. present — there
  4. charge — in control
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. track — a song
  10. press — a publisher
  11. press — newspapers
  12. tube — the underground
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. present — a gift
  15. charge — electricity
  16. tube — a container
  17. lie — to recline
  18. track — to keep track
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. press — to push
  21. charge — a price
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. present — the time now
  24. mine — for digging

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