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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. present — a gift
  9. present — there
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. hand — help
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. game — wild animals
  17. chest — of your body
  18. chest — of your body
  19. lie — to recline
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. present — the time now
  22. game — a match
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. hand — in cards

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