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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. object — to protest
  3. object — an aim
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — to recline
  6. track — a song
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. spring — of water
  9. track — to keep track
  10. spring — the season
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. ball — a great time
  13. track — a path
  14. ball — a dance
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. stand — to bear
  20. spring — a coil
  21. object — a thing
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. stand — on your feet

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