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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. land — ground
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. lie — to recline
  6. firm — steady
  7. land — a country
  8. firm — decided
  9. spell — a short time
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bear — the animal
  13. firm — a company
  14. land — to come down
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. spell — letters
  19. bear — the animal
  20. perch — the fish
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. spell — magic

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