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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. mate — a partner
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. mate — a friend
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. mate — to breed
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. mark — a trace
  22. saw — the tool
  23. lie — to recline
  24. mark — a grade

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