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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. kick — in football
  3. fine — high quality
  4. shower — to wash
  5. fine — all right
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. lie — to recline
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. game — wild animals
  18. game — a match
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. wake — a trail
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. shower — rain
  24. kick — with a leg

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