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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. dip — to sink
  3. lie — to recline
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. drill — a practice
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bat — the animal
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. bass — the fish
  11. content — the amount
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. drill — the tool
  15. content — happy
  16. drill — army training
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. bass — low music
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. bass — the instrument

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