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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — to recline
  3. rest — what's left
  4. fine — all right
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. fall — to drop
  7. fall — the season
  8. rest — a break
  9. fall — to drop
  10. fine — high quality
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. pop — music
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. pop — to visit
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mark — a grade
  19. squash — the sport
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. squash — to crush
  22. pop — soda
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. rest — what's left

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