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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. suit — in cards
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. suit — clothes
  11. bear — the animal
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. spell — a short time
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. foot — a measure
  17. bass — low music
  18. spell — magic
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. bass — the fish
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. spell — letters
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. suit — to fit

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