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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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. lie — to recline
  3. roll — a cake
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. club — for golf
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. can — to be able to
  9. mark — a trace
  10. club — a group
  11. land — to come down
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. rash — a series
  14. land — a country
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. can — a tin
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. pass — a permit
  20. land — ground
  21. can — a tin
  22. rash — hasty
  23. club — for dancing
  24. mark — a grade

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