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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. toast — bread
  5. lie — to recline
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. saw — the tool
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. rule — a law
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. rule — government
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. saw — the tool
  17. ball — a great time
  18. ball — a dance
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. leaves — of a tree

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