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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. ground — crushed
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. ground — a position
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. toast — bread
  9. bear — the animal
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. ball — a dance
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. ground — the earth
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. wax — to grow
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. ball — a great time
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. lie — to recline

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