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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. kid — to tease
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. key — in music
  8. key — the most important part
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. spring — the season
  11. perch — the fish
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. spring — a coil
  14. key — for a lock
  15. wax — to grow
  16. kid — child
  17. spring — of water
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. lie — to recline

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