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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. rush — hurry
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. key — for a lock
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. key — the most important part
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. key — in music
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. perch — the fish
  19. branch — a division
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. sharp — clever
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. ruler — for measuring

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