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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. ball — a dance
  7. mate — to breed
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. mate — a partner
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. prune — to trim
  13. ball — a great time
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. spell — letters
  18. mate — a friend
  19. spell — magic
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. prune — to trim
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. spell — a short time
  24. ball — a round shape

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