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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. wake — a trail
  3. fall — to drop
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. lie — to recline
  6. cue — for pool
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. bat — the animal
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. cue — a hint
  11. suit — in cards
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. mine — for digging
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. cue — a signal
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. fall — to drop
  18. suit — clothes
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. fall — the season
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. suit — to fit
  24. bat — for baseball

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