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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. hand — in cards
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. hand — help
  11. track — a path
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. fork — in a road
  16. track — a song
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. track — to keep track
  19. spring — the season
  20. fine — high quality
  21. spring — a coil
  22. fine — all right
  23. lie — to recline
  24. spring — of water

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