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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 120 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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. sharp — clever
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. chest — of your body
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. tube — the underground
  9. prune — to trim
  10. firm — steady
  11. firm — a company
  12. chest — of your body
  13. tube — a container
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. firm — decided
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. lie — to recline
  23. chest — a box
  24. prune — to trim

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