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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — to recline
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. bass — low music
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bear — the animal
  14. wax — to grow
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. perch — the fish
  17. bass — the fish
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. wax — for sculpting

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