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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. drill — army training
  3. lie — to recline
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. cue — for pool
  10. perch — the fish
  11. cue — a signal
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. mark — a grade
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. drill — the tool
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. cue — a hint
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. mark — a trace
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. drill — a practice
  23. sharp — clever
  24. sharp — with an edge

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