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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. lie — to recline
  3. track — to keep track
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. net — after costs
  6. net — in sport
  7. wake — a trail
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. ball — a great time
  11. suit — to fit
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. march — the month
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. suit — in cards
  16. net — for catching
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. march — the month
  20. track — a path
  21. suit — clothes
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. march — music
  24. track — a song

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