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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. lie — to recline
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. firm — decided
  8. tube — a container
  9. spell — a short time
  10. spell — letters
  11. firm — steady
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. firm — a company
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. spell — magic
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. trunk — of a tree

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