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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. track — to keep track
  5. field — farmland
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. field — for sport
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. sharp — clever
  10. lie — to recline
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. root — the cause
  13. root — of a plant
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. root — of a word
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. field — a subject
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. track — a path
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. track — a song
  24. racket — for tennis

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