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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ball — a dance
  5. deal — to handle
  6. ground — a position
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. ground — the earth
  10. tear — to rip
  11. ground — crushed
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. dip — to sink
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. wake — a trail
  19. tear — from crying
  20. suit — to fit
  21. suit — clothes
  22. tear — from crying
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. suit — in cards

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