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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. court — for sport
  6. last — to go on
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. lie — to recline
  9. rock — a stone
  10. rock — music
  11. last — final
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. court — of law
  16. court — of a king
  17. snap — to click
  18. plane — a tool
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. tube — the underground
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. tube — a container

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