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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. tube — the underground
  3. lie — to recline
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. rash — hasty
  6. track — a path
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. tube — a container
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. band — a ring
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. band — a music group
  15. track — a song
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. rash — a series
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. track — to keep track
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. band — a rubber band

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