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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. lie — to recline
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. net — after costs
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. pitch — completely
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. cue — for pool
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. fine — all right
  16. net — for catching
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. cell — a phone
  19. net — in sport
  20. cue — a signal
  21. cell — in biology
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. fine — high quality

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