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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. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. rush — hurry
  4. hand — help
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. spell — magic
  9. pass — a permit
  10. spell — a short time
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. wake — a trail
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. spell — letters
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. lie — to recline
  21. hand — in cards
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. branch — a division

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