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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. spring — a coil
  4. cell — in biology
  5. track — to keep track
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. pitch — completely
  10. lie — to recline
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. dip — to sink
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. track — a song
  21. track — a path
  22. spring — of water
  23. spring — the season
  24. cell — a phone

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