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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 120 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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. lie — to recline
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. kick — in football
  9. track — to keep track
  10. scale — size or range
  11. scale — in music
  12. perch — the fish
  13. track — a path
  14. track — a song
  15. saw — the tool
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. perch — for a bird

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