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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: foot · mouse · face · coach · lie · sharp · track · field

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. track — to keep track
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. track — a path
  9. field — for sport
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. foot — a measure
  14. track — a song
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. face — to confront
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. face — part of the head
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. field — farmland
  21. sharp — clever
  22. face — to point toward
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. field — a subject

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