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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 116 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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. track — to keep track
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. mug — to rob
  5. bear — the animal
  6. fall — to drop
  7. drill — the tool
  8. mug — a face
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. fall — the season
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. drill — army training
  13. club — a group
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. drill — a practice
  16. mug — a cup
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. club — for dancing
  19. club — for golf
  20. lie — to recline
  21. fall — to drop
  22. track — a path
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. bear — the animal

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