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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. ball — a dance
  7. fall — to drop
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. ball — a great time
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. wake — a trail
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. wax — to grow
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. deal — to handle
  18. rush — hurry
  19. fall — to drop
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. lie — to recline
  23. fall — the season
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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