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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. suit — clothes
  3. suit — to fit
  4. root — of a word
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. ball — a great time
  8. ball — a dance
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. game — wild animals
  13. prune — to trim
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. suit — in cards
  16. prune — to trim
  17. game — a match
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. root — of a plant
  20. root — the cause
  21. dip — to sink
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. lie — to recline
  24. game — a kind of play

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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