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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. last — finally
  3. kid — child
  4. suit — clothes
  5. prune — to trim
  6. perch — the fish
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. prune — to trim
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. suit — to fit
  11. rock — music
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. last — to go on
  15. suit — in cards
  16. lie — to recline
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. last — final
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. rock — a stone
  23. kid — to tease
  24. perch — for a bird

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