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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. pitch — completely
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. staff — a stick
  6. lie — to recline
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. staff — employees
  9. spell — letters
  10. mark — a trace
  11. spell — magic
  12. dip — to sink
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. mark — a grade
  15. staff — employees
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. wake — a trail
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. spell — a short time
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. date — the fruit

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