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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. bear — the animal
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. lie — to recline
  10. press — a publisher
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. press — to push
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. wake — a trail
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. press — newspapers
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bear — the animal

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