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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. fall — the season
  3. mate — to breed
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. mate — a partner
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — for light
  8. fall — to drop
  9. press — newspapers
  10. fall — to drop
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ball — a great time
  13. track — a path
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. club — for golf
  16. press — a publisher
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. track — to keep track
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — to recline
  21. press — to push
  22. club — a group
  23. mate — a friend
  24. club — for dancing

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