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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. pop — music
  4. ground — the earth
  5. lean — thin
  6. pop — to visit
  7. lie — to recline
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. suit — in cards
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. pop — soda
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. hand — help
  14. ground — a position
  15. hand — in cards
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. stand — to bear
  18. ground — crushed
  19. suit — to fit
  20. lean — to bend
  21. bear — the animal
  22. suit — clothes
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. bear — the animal

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