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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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. suit — to fit
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. suit — in cards
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lean — to bend
  8. lean — thin
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. suit — clothes
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. tear — from crying
  16. tear — from crying
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — to recline
  19. season — in sport
  20. tear — to rip
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. bat — the animal
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. season — of the year

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