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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 120 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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. current — of water
  4. track — to keep track
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. track — a path
  7. fork — in a road
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. current — happening now
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. swing — music
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. wake — a trail
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. current — electric
  22. swing — in golf
  23. track — a song
  24. swing — to play on

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