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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. net — in sport
  7. dip — to sink
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. suit — in cards
  10. wake — a trail
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. net — after costs
  15. net — for catching
  16. suit — to fit
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. kick — in football
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. suit — clothes
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. dip — a sauce

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