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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. pitch — completely
  3. suit — in cards
  4. spell — magic
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. hand — help
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. mug — a cup
  9. suit — to fit
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bound — obliged
  12. lie — to recline
  13. mug — a face
  14. spell — letters
  15. bound — certain
  16. mug — to rob
  17. spell — a short time
  18. band — a ring
  19. band — a music group
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. suit — clothes
  22. hand — in cards
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. pitch — a sports field

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