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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. lie — to recline
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. club — for dancing
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. wound — an injury
  9. key — for a lock
  10. prune — to trim
  11. prune — to trim
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. stand — to bear
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. club — a group
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. kick — in football
  18. wound — an injury
  19. key — the most important part
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. club — for golf
  22. key — in music
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. bay — a horse colour

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