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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. suit — to fit
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. track — a path
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. track — to keep track
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. game — a match
  11. squash — the sport
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. net — for catching
  16. suit — clothes
  17. net — after costs
  18. lie — to recline
  19. track — a song
  20. dip — to sink
  21. squash — to crush
  22. suit — in cards
  23. net — in sport
  24. game — wild animals

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