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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. wound — an injury
  6. bass — the fish
  7. key — for a lock
  8. land — a country
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. wake — a trail
  11. bass — low music
  12. wound — an injury
  13. land — ground
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. cue — a signal
  16. key — the most important part
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. cue — for pool
  19. cue — a hint
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. land — to come down
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. key — in music

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