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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. cue — a signal
  3. suit — clothes
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. cue — a hint
  6. spell — letters
  7. ground — crushed
  8. spell — a short time
  9. capital — a city
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. lean — to bend
  13. capital — money
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. ground — the earth
  18. spell — magic
  19. cue — for pool
  20. ground — a position
  21. suit — in cards
  22. lean — thin
  23. suit — to fit
  24. lie — to recline

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