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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. file — a tool
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. cue — for pool
  7. tube — a container
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ball — a great time
  10. tube — the underground
  11. face — part of the head
  12. cue — a signal
  13. file — a line of people
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. bear — the animal
  16. file — a document
  17. stem — to come from
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. cue — a hint
  20. face — to confront
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bear — the animal
  24. face — to point toward

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