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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. mug — a face
  5. mark — a grade
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. wind — moving air
  10. bound — obliged
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. bound — certain
  14. wake — a trail
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. mug — to rob
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. shower — to wash
  19. mug — a cup
  20. bound — tied together
  21. lie — to recline
  22. wind — moving air
  23. shower — rain
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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