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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. scale — in music
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. object — a thing
  5. rest — a break
  6. object — to protest
  7. lie — to recline
  8. rest — what's left
  9. mug — a cup
  10. scale — size or range
  11. object — an aim
  12. ball — a great time
  13. present — a gift
  14. can — to be able to
  15. mug — a face
  16. can — a tin
  17. mug — to rob
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. ball — a dance
  20. present — the time now
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. present — there
  23. can — a tin
  24. rest — what's left

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