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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 ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. rest — what's left
  3. fall — the season
  4. fall — to drop
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. row — to paddle
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. last — to go on
  9. rock — music
  10. rest — what's left
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. fall — to drop
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. last — finally
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. row — a line
  18. rest — a break
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. lie — to recline
  21. rush — hurry
  22. rock — a stone
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. last — final

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