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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. cap — of ice
  3. firm — a company
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. land — a country
  6. wake — a trail
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. cap — a hat
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. firm — steady
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. land — ground
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. land — to come down
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. cap — a lid
  23. firm — decided
  24. bowl — to roll

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