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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. drill — army training
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. kid — child
  9. drill — a practice
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. kid — to tease
  15. squash — to crush
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. squash — the sport
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. tube — a container
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. lie — to recline
  22. tube — the underground
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. drill — the tool

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