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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. lie — to recline
  5. ball — a dance
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. rock — music
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. shower — rain
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. rock — a stone
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. ball — a great time
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. date — the fruit
  22. shower — to wash
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. lie — an untruth

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