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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. lean — thin
  3. present — the time now
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — in cards
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. present — a gift
  11. wind — moving air
  12. hand — in cards
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. wind — moving air
  16. hand — help
  17. lie — to recline
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. present — there
  20. suit — clothes
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lean — to bend
  24. lean — to rest against

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