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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. lie — to recline
  3. cue — a hint
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. mark — a trace
  6. band — a ring
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. wind — moving air
  14. wake — a trail
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. mark — a grade
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. band — a music group
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. cue — a signal
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. cue — for pool

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