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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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. wind — moving air
  4. scale — in music
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. root — of a word
  9. root — the cause
  10. suit — in cards
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. scale — size or range
  13. lie — to recline
  14. rock — a stone
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. root — of a plant
  18. rock — music
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. suit — clothes
  21. suit — to fit
  22. wind — moving air
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. nail — for a hammer

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