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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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. mark — a grade
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. object — a thing
  6. object — an aim
  7. game — a match
  8. mark — a trace
  9. track — a song
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. tube — the underground
  12. stem — to come from
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. game — wild animals
  17. lie — to recline
  18. track — a path
  19. object — to protest
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. tube — a container
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. pitch — completely

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