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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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. ball — a round shape
  4. last — final
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. last — to go on
  8. rest — what's left
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. ball — a great time
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. rock — music
  13. rest — a break
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. ball — a dance
  16. bank — for money
  17. pound — a weight
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bank — of a river
  20. lie — to recline
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. rock — a stone
  23. bank — for money
  24. pound — for dogs

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