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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 120 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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. field — farmland
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. lie — to recline
  9. mug — a cup
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bass — low music
  13. mark — a grade
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. mug — a face
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. field — for sport
  18. mug — to rob
  19. bass — the fish
  20. field — a subject
  21. wax — to grow
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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