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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. suit — in cards
  3. spring — of water
  4. suit — clothes
  5. bore — to tire
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. bore — to drill
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. spring — the season
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. spring — a coil
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. suit — to fit
  22. perch — the fish
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. coach — a trainer

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