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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 haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. tear — from crying
  4. charge — a price
  5. track — to keep track
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. pop — music
  8. tear — to rip
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. dip — to sink
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. lie — to recline
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. pop — soda
  16. track — a path
  17. pop — to visit
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. charge — in control
  20. track — a song
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. tear — from crying
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. charge — electricity

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