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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 124 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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. club — a group
  3. mate — a partner
  4. fall — to drop
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. mate — a friend
  7. mate — to breed
  8. firm — steady
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. club — for dancing
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. fall — to drop
  13. firm — a company
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. firm — decided
  16. lean — thin
  17. fall — the season
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. ball — a dance
  20. club — for golf
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. lean — to bend
  23. perch — the fish
  24. ball — a great time

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