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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. can — to be able to
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. object — an aim
  5. object — a thing
  6. bear — the animal
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. dip — to sink
  10. ball — a dance
  11. can — a tin
  12. object — to protest
  13. swing — in golf
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. lie — to recline
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. can — a tin
  20. bear — the animal
  21. swing — to play on
  22. swing — music
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. ball — a great time

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