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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. mug — to rob
  3. last — to go on
  4. chest — of your body
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bound — obliged
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. last — finally
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. bound — tied together
  13. mug — a face
  14. bound — certain
  15. last — final
  16. plane — a tool
  17. mate — a friend
  18. mate — to breed
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mug — a cup
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. chest — of your body
  23. chest — a box
  24. mate — a partner

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