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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 120 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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. wake — a trail
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. ball — a dance
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. lie — to recline
  12. mark — a trace
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. mark — a grade
  15. rash — hasty
  16. wax — to grow
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bass — the fish
  19. bass — low music
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. kick — in football
  23. ball — a great time
  24. wake — before a funeral

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