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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
468
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 · track · pop · spell · nail · racket · wave · straw

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. pop — soda
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. spell — letters
  6. track — to keep track
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. lie — to recline
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. spell — magic
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. track — a song
  14. track — a path
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. pop — to visit
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. pop — music

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