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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. wake — a trail
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. wind — moving air
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. court — of law
  10. pitch — completely
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. rush — hurry
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. court — of a king
  19. lie — to recline
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. court — for sport
  23. snap — to click
  24. wind — moving air

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