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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bat — the animal
  3. bear — the animal
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. pop — soda
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. lie — to recline
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. bear — the animal
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. deal — to handle
  21. mine — for digging
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. pop — music
  24. pop — to visit

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