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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. pop — music
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. lie — to recline
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. pop — soda
  12. cue — for pool
  13. ball — a great time
  14. ball — a dance
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. cue — a hint
  19. pop — to visit
  20. toast — bread
  21. cue — a signal
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. lie — an untruth

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