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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. can — a tin
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. can — to be able to
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. cell — a phone
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. cell — in biology
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. can — a tin
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. lie — to recline

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