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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.

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: hand · key · face · calf · lie · bay · track · rock

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. lie — to recline
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. hand — help
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. face — part of the head
  12. hand — in cards
  13. rock — music
  14. key — for a lock
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. rock — a stone
  19. track — to keep track
  20. key — in music
  21. key — the most important part
  22. face — to point toward
  23. track — a song
  24. face — to confront

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