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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. rest — what's left
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. game — a match
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. mate — a friend
  7. rest — what's left
  8. mate — to breed
  9. rest — a break
  10. bear — the animal
  11. wake — a trail
  12. wax — to grow
  13. game — wild animals
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. bear — the animal
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. mate — a partner
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. wake — before a funeral

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