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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. track — a song
  3. track — a path
  4. swing — music
  5. lie — to recline
  6. file — a tool
  7. cue — a hint
  8. track — to keep track
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. swing — in golf
  12. cue — a signal
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. cue — for pool
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. tube — a container
  17. file — a line of people
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. file — a document
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. tube — the underground
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. swing — to play on

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