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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. sharp — clever
  3. kid — child
  4. content — happy
  5. kid — to tease
  6. mug — a cup
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. ball — a great time
  11. prune — to trim
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. ball — a dance
  15. mug — a face
  16. prune — to trim
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. content — the amount
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. mug — to rob
  24. racket — a loud noise

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