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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. bark — to shout
  6. rest — a break
  7. charge — electricity
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. charge — in control
  10. pound — a weight
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. file — a line of people
  13. rest — what's left
  14. charge — a price
  15. lie — to recline
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. file — a document
  19. rest — what's left
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. file — a tool

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