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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. pass — a permit
  3. band — a music group
  4. tear — from crying
  5. band — a ring
  6. suit — clothes
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. tear — from crying
  9. root — the cause
  10. track — a path
  11. lie — to recline
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. root — of a word
  14. root — of a plant
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. suit — to fit
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. track — a song
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. suit — in cards
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. tear — to rip

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