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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. lie — to recline
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. rest — what's left
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. season — of the year
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. cue — a hint
  9. race — the arms race
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. can — a tin
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. race — a contest
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. cue — a signal
  19. season — in sport
  20. can — to be able to
  21. can — a tin
  22. race — humankind
  23. rest — what's left
  24. cue — for pool

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