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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. sharp — clever
  3. mark — a trace
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. kick — in football
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. lie — to recline
  13. mark — a grade
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. kick — a thrill

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