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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. firm — a company
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lean — thin
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. bass — the fish
  9. firm — steady
  10. lie — to recline
  11. row — a line
  12. lean — to bend
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. rash — hasty
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bass — low music
  18. row — to paddle
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. firm — decided
  21. mark — a trace
  22. mark — a grade
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. rash — a series

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