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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. fall — the season
  4. degree — temperature
  5. degree — an amount
  6. ball — a dance
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. ball — a great time
  9. spell — magic
  10. mate — a friend
  11. rock — a stone
  12. spell — letters
  13. mate — to breed
  14. rock — music
  15. lie — to recline
  16. can — to be able to
  17. spell — a short time
  18. mate — a partner
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. fall — to drop
  21. can — a tin
  22. degree — from a university
  23. can — a tin
  24. fall — to drop

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