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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. key — the most important part
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bark — to shout
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. ball — a dance
  12. dip — to sink
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. lie — to recline
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. key — for a lock
  21. key — in music
  22. stand — to bear
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. ball — a great time

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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