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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. ball — a dance
  4. track — a path
  5. rush — hurry
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. clip — a video
  8. ball — a great time
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. clip — for paper
  11. track — a song
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. object — a thing
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. mug — a cup
  18. clip — to cut
  19. mug — to rob
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. object — to protest
  22. object — an aim
  23. lie — to recline
  24. mug — a face

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