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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. sharp — clever
  4. season — in sport
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. track — to keep track
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. suit — clothes
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. lie — to recline
  12. suit — to fit
  13. track — a song
  14. season — of the year
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. ball — a dance
  17. dip — to sink
  18. board — to get on
  19. suit — in cards
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. ball — a great time
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. board — a committee

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