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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. mug — a face
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. tear — to rip
  5. mug — to rob
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. tear — from crying
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. last — final
  10. mug — a cup
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. rest — what's left
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. last — to go on
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. tear — from crying
  21. last — finally
  22. rest — what's left
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. lie — to recline

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