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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. wind — moving air
  3. wind — moving air
  4. lie — to recline
  5. object — an aim
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. cue — for pool
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. cue — a hint
  10. swing — to play on
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. key — the most important part
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — to be able to
  15. object — a thing
  16. stem — to come from
  17. swing — in golf
  18. key — in music
  19. key — for a lock
  20. can — a tin
  21. object — to protest
  22. cue — a signal
  23. swing — music
  24. stem — of a plant

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