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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. rest — what's left
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. wax — to grow
  8. wound — an injury
  9. dip — to sink
  10. ball — a great time
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. rule — government
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. lean — thin
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lean — to bend
  17. lie — to recline
  18. rule — a law
  19. rest — a break
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. ball — a dance
  23. rest — what's left
  24. dip — a sauce

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