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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.

Make a worksheet

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: spell · ruler · track · net · object · rest · dip · lie

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. spell — letters
  3. object — to protest
  4. spell — a short time
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. spell — magic
  7. rest — what's left
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. track — a song
  10. net — after costs
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. rest — a break
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. track — to keep track
  16. lie — to recline
  17. net — for catching
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. net — in sport
  20. object — an aim
  21. rest — what's left
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. object — a thing
  24. dip — to sink

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