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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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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: track · fall · pit · face · lie · snap · rush · jam

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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. jam — a tight spot
  4. face — to confront
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. fall — to drop
  10. lie — to recline
  11. pit — a hole
  12. snap — to click
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. face — part of the head
  15. face — to point toward
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. rush — hurry
  18. pit — in a race
  19. fall — the season
  20. track — a song
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. fall — to drop
  23. track — to keep track
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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