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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. rock — a stone
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. spring — the season
  7. sharp — clever
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. ball — a dance
  11. suit — in cards
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. spring — a coil
  15. ball — a great time
  16. spring — of water
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. suit — clothes
  21. chip — for betting
  22. chip — to eat
  23. lie — to recline
  24. suit — to fit

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