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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 am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. lie — to recline
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. fall — the season
  7. ground — the earth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. net — after costs
  10. toast — bread
  11. fall — to drop
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. ground — crushed
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. ball — a dance
  18. net — in sport
  19. ground — a position
  20. ball — a great time
  21. net — for catching
  22. fall — to drop
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. lie — an untruth

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