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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. mate — to breed
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. staff — employees
  5. staff — employees
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. bat — the animal
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. lie — to recline
  10. wind — moving air
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. saw — the tool
  13. staff — a stick
  14. saw — the tool
  15. mate — a partner
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. firm — decided
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. firm — a company
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. mate — a friend
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. firm — steady

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