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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. tear — from crying
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. mark — a grade
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. mark — a trace
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. toast — bread
  17. tear — from crying
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. ball — a great time
  22. tear — to rip
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. ball — a dance

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