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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 116 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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. spell — magic
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. pop — music
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. pop — soda
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. lie — to recline
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. wind — moving air
  16. spell — a short time
  17. sharp — clever
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. wind — moving air
  22. pop — to visit
  23. lean — to bend
  24. spell — letters

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