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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: lie · cap · object · present · jam · track · deal · land

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. land — a country
  4. lie — to recline
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. object — a thing
  8. present — a gift
  9. track — to keep track
  10. object — to protest
  11. track — a song
  12. cap — a lid
  13. present — there
  14. object — an aim
  15. cap — a hat
  16. cap — of ice
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. track — a path
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. land — ground
  21. land — to come down
  22. deal — to handle
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. deal — an agreement

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