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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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. cold — an illness
  3. saw — the tool
  4. track — a song
  5. season — of the year
  6. mug — a cup
  7. rest — what's left
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. track — to keep track
  11. cold — not warm
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. saw — the tool
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. season — in sport
  16. mug — to rob
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. lie — to recline
  19. track — a path
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. rest — a break
  22. mug — a face
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. rush — hurry

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