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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. tube — a container
  3. lie — to recline
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. mug — a face
  7. tube — the underground
  8. degree — from a university
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. mug — a cup
  11. track — a song
  12. key — for a lock
  13. track — to keep track
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. degree — temperature
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. key — the most important part
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rest — what's left
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. rest — a break
  22. track — a path
  23. degree — an amount
  24. key — in music

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