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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 120 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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. deal — to handle
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. pass — a permit
  7. pit — in a race
  8. ball — a great time
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. content — the amount
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. content — happy
  14. lie — to recline
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. ball — a dance
  18. wake — a trail
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. chair — a leader
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. pit — a hole

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