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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. chair — a leader
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. mark — a trace
  5. object — an aim
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. cue — for pool
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. present — a gift
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. present — the time now
  13. present — there
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. object — a thing
  16. sharp — clever
  17. mark — a grade
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. pound — a weight
  20. object — to protest
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. cue — a hint
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. cue — a signal

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