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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. rash — a series
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. pop — music
  7. clip — for paper
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. pop — soda
  11. clip — to cut
  12. rest — a break
  13. rest — what's left
  14. lie — to recline
  15. rash — hasty
  16. rest — what's left
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. lean — thin
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. pop — to visit
  22. clip — a video
  23. plane — a tool
  24. lean — to bend

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