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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. track — to keep track
  3. pit — in a race
  4. firm — steady
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. firm — decided
  7. lean — thin
  8. band — a ring
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. band — a music group
  11. firm — a company
  12. lean — to bend
  13. track — a path
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. track — a song
  17. lie — to recline
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. snap — to click
  24. lie — an untruth

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