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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. capital — money
  3. lie — to recline
  4. bear — the animal
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. scale — in music
  7. bear — the animal
  8. track — a song
  9. track — a path
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. capital — a city
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. suit — to fit
  20. track — to keep track
  21. scale — size or range
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — clothes
  24. capital — a big letter

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