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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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. lie — to recline
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. wake — a trail
  9. face — part of the head
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. bark — to shout
  12. craft — a skill
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. bear — the animal
  15. pop — music
  16. face — to confront
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. face — to point toward
  19. pop — soda
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. craft — boats
  22. pound — a weight
  23. pop — to visit
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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