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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 124 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 hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. track — a path
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — to recline
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. cap — of ice
  12. last — finally
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. cap — a lid
  15. track — a song
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. wake — a trail
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. last — to go on
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. cap — a hat
  22. track — to keep track
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. last — final

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