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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: deal · safe · sharp · arm · lie · track · cap · mark

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. mark — a grade
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. cap — a lid
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. lie — to recline
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. mark — a trace
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. track — to keep track
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. sharp — clever
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. cap — of ice
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. deal — to handle
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. track — a song
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. cap — a hat

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