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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. scale — size or range
  9. mine — for digging
  10. firm — steady
  11. wind — moving air
  12. tube — a container
  13. tube — the underground
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. firm — decided
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. scale — in music
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. wind — moving air
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. firm — a company
  24. lie — an untruth

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