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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. content — happy
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. object — a thing
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. dip — to sink
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. band — a music group
  12. content — the amount
  13. present — there
  14. object — to protest
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. pound — a weight
  17. band — a ring
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. present — a gift
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. object — an aim
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. present — the time now

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