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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bear — the animal
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ball — a dance
  6. bear — the animal
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. wake — a trail
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. ground — a position
  11. ground — the earth
  12. ball — a great time
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. deal — to handle
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ground — crushed
  23. lie — to recline
  24. leaves — lets stay

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