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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: object · firm · band · jam · track · sharp · lie · lean

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lean — to bend
  5. band — a music group
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. firm — a company
  8. band — a ring
  9. object — to protest
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. track — a song
  14. object — a thing
  15. track — to keep track
  16. lie — to recline
  17. firm — steady
  18. object — an aim
  19. lean — thin
  20. sharp — clever
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. track — a path
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. firm — decided

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