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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bear — the animal
  3. pop — to visit
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. rush — hurry
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. season — of the year
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. stock — shares
  13. stock — goods
  14. pop — music
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. lie — to recline
  17. row — to paddle
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. season — in sport
  20. bear — the animal
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. pop — soda
  23. row — a line
  24. rush — a thrill

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