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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. mate — to breed
  3. board — to get on
  4. lie — to recline
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. board — a committee
  7. lean — to bend
  8. cue — a signal
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. mate — a friend
  13. lean — thin
  14. cue — a hint
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. mate — a partner
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. tear — to rip
  20. tear — from crying
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. tear — from crying
  23. ball — a dance
  24. cue — for pool

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