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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — to recline
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. mate — a partner
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. mate — to breed
  9. band — a music group
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. band — a ring
  12. mate — a friend
  13. prune — to trim
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. roll — a list
  19. prune — to trim
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. roll — a cake

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