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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. hand — in cards
  4. mark — a grade
  5. tube — the underground
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. hand — help
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. lie — to recline
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mark — a trace
  18. tube — a container
  19. wake — a trail
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. bark — to shout
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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