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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 120 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: kick · content · track · sharp · object · pass · fall · lie

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. content — the amount
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. fall — to drop
  6. fall — to drop
  7. kick — in football
  8. sharp — clever
  9. object — to protest
  10. lie — to recline
  11. track — to keep track
  12. object — a thing
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. fall — the season
  16. object — an aim
  17. content — happy
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. pass — a permit
  23. track — a path
  24. lie — an untruth

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