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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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. row — to paddle
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. wake — a trail
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. track — to keep track
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. snap — to click
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. row — a line
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. track — a song
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lie — to recline
  24. wake — before a funeral

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