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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 116 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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. march — music
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. wake — a trail
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. snap — to click
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. lie — to recline
  11. chip — to eat
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. chip — for betting
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. march — the month
  22. march — the month
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. nail — on a finger

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