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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: hide · clip · firm · race · club · bay · track · lie

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. race — a contest
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. track — a path
  6. race — humankind
  7. firm — decided
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. firm — steady
  11. clip — a video
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. firm — a company
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. clip — to cut
  17. race — the arms race
  18. lie — to recline
  19. clip — for paper
  20. club — for golf
  21. club — for dancing
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. track — a song
  24. club — a group

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