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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 120 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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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. stick — a piece of wood
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. court — of law
  8. wake — a trail
  9. last — to go on
  10. court — for sport
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. last — final
  16. foot — a measure
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. capital — a city
  19. season — in sport
  20. last — finally
  21. capital — money
  22. court — of a king
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. season — of the year

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