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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. mug — to rob
  4. net — after costs
  5. mug — a cup
  6. last — finally
  7. mark — a trace
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. net — for catching
  11. mug — a face
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. last — to go on
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. ball — a great time
  21. last — final
  22. net — in sport
  23. lie — to recline
  24. mark — a grade

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