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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.

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: track · arm · wake · mug · roll · mate · lie · present

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. track — to keep track
  3. roll — a cake
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. present — there
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. present — a gift
  8. mate — a partner
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — to recline
  11. mug — a face
  12. present — the time now
  13. track — a path
  14. mate — to breed
  15. wake — a trail
  16. mate — a friend
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. track — a song
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. roll — a list
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. mug — to rob
  23. mug — a cup
  24. arm — a part of something

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