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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 124 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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. roll — a list
  9. roll — a cake
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. swing — to play on
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. track — a song
  15. swing — music
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. track — to keep track
  21. track — a path
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. swing — in golf

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