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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. last — final
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. spring — of water
  5. firm — decided
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. spring — a coil
  8. spring — the season
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. last — to go on
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. foot — a measure
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. firm — steady
  15. firm — a company
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. lie — to recline
  18. bat — the animal
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. last — finally

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