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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. fall — to drop
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. object — a thing
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. saw — the tool
  8. object — to protest
  9. lie — to recline
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. last — final
  12. mark — a trace
  13. fall — the season
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. mark — a grade
  16. sharp — clever
  17. object — an aim
  18. last — to go on
  19. last — finally
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. fall — to drop
  23. saw — the tool
  24. sharp — exactly

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