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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. content — the amount
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. game — a match
  8. capital — money
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. sharp — clever
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. capital — a city
  19. wake — a trail
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. content — happy
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. game — wild animals

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