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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. lie — to recline
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. key — for a lock
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. key — the most important part
  7. scale — in music
  8. dip — to sink
  9. stock — goods
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. hand — in cards
  14. hand — help
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. stock — shares
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. key — in music
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. scale — size or range

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