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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. rest — what's left
  3. wind — moving air
  4. wind — moving air
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. rest — what's left
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. pound — a weight
  11. rest — a break
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. lie — to recline
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. wake — a trail
  21. kick — in football
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. dip — to sink

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