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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. track — a path
  6. bore — to drill
  7. track — a song
  8. bore — to tire
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. face — part of the head
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. face — to point toward
  13. pit — a hole
  14. lie — to recline
  15. row — a line
  16. pit — in a race
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. row — to paddle
  19. bass — the fish
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. bass — low music
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. face — to confront

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