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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. prune — to trim
  3. bass — low music
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. rock — a stone
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. rock — music
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. prune — to trim
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. row — a line
  15. row — to paddle
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bass — the fish
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. temple — side of the head

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