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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. ball — a dance
  4. prune — to trim
  5. foot — a measure
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. shower — rain
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. cell — in biology
  11. cap — a lid
  12. cap — a hat
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. cap — of ice
  17. prune — to trim
  18. ball — a great time
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. cell — a phone
  21. shower — to wash
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. lie — to recline
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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