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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. charge — electricity
  3. fine — high quality
  4. bat — the animal
  5. lie — to recline
  6. cue — a signal
  7. wax — to grow
  8. charge — in control
  9. track — to keep track
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. track — a song
  13. charge — a price
  14. cue — a hint
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. fine — all right
  24. cue — for pool

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