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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. march — the month
  3. bear — the animal
  4. march — the month
  5. wax — to grow
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. march — music
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. lie — to recline
  12. spell — letters
  13. spell — a short time
  14. date — the fruit
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. spell — magic
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bear — the animal
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. mouse — the animal

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