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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  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. game — a match
  2. lie — to recline
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. game — wild animals
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. plane — a tool
  9. mark — a trace
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. face — part of the head
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. ball — a dance
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. face — to confront
  20. face — to point toward
  21. pound — a weight
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mark — a grade
  24. ball — a great time

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