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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. staff — a stick
  5. staff — employees
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. lie — to recline
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. bear — the animal
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. staff — employees
  18. wake — a trail
  19. sharp — clever
  20. bear — the animal
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. track — a path
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. track — to keep track

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