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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bear — the animal
  3. net — for catching
  4. lie — to recline
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. bear — the animal
  7. pit — in a race
  8. net — after costs
  9. kick — in football
  10. pit — a hole
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. pop — to visit
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. cap — a lid
  17. cap — of ice
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. pop — music
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. net — in sport
  22. cap — a hat
  23. pop — soda
  24. wake — a trail

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