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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. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. pound — a weight
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. track — a path
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. track — a song
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — to recline
  9. dip — to sink
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. cold — not warm
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. track — to keep track
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. tube — a container
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. tube — the underground
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. dip — to dunk

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