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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — to recline
  5. saw — the tool
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. game — a match
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. wake — a trail
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. game — wild animals
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. saw — the tool
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. perch — the fish
  24. ruler — for measuring

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