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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. track — a path
  3. lie — to recline
  4. chip — to eat
  5. track — a song
  6. key — in music
  7. tear — to rip
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. lean — thin
  11. chip — for betting
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. tear — from crying
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. key — for a lock
  16. track — to keep track
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. key — the most important part
  21. tube — the underground
  22. tear — from crying
  23. tube — a container
  24. lean — to bend

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