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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
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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: drill · lie · net · mate · track · prune · leaves · hide

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. mate — a friend
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. mate — a partner
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. net — in sport
  8. prune — to trim
  9. net — for catching
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. net — after costs
  12. track — a song
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. lie — to recline
  15. mate — to breed
  16. track — a path
  17. drill — a practice
  18. drill — the tool
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. drill — army training

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