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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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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. net — for catching
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. object — to protest
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. rush — hurry
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. object — a thing
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. net — in sport
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. object — an aim
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. lie — to recline
  20. wake — a trail
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. net — after costs
  24. mine — for digging

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