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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: lie · dip · cue · track · race · bay · date · staff

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. track — a song
  4. dip — to sink
  5. track — to keep track
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. date — the fruit
  9. staff — employees
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. cue — a hint
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. cue — a signal
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. cue — for pool
  17. lie — to recline
  18. race — humankind
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. race — the arms race
  21. staff — a stick
  22. track — a path
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. staff — employees

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