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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. court — of law
  3. row — a line
  4. mark — a grade
  5. court — for sport
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. row — to paddle
  9. lean — thin
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. lean — to bend
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. mark — a trace
  17. press — to push
  18. court — of a king
  19. press — a publisher
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. press — newspapers
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. bay — a horse colour

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