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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. pop — soda
  3. suit — to fit
  4. suit — in cards
  5. pop — to visit
  6. rest — what's left
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. object — a thing
  10. tube — the underground
  11. rest — what's left
  12. pop — music
  13. lie — to recline
  14. suit — clothes
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. object — to protest
  19. tube — a container
  20. rest — a break
  21. ball — a dance
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. object — an aim

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