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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  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. perch — the fish
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. toast — bread
  5. season — of the year
  6. staff — employees
  7. chest — of your body
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. race — the arms race
  11. race — humankind
  12. staff — employees
  13. staff — a stick
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. season — in sport
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. chest — of your body
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. race — a contest
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. chest — a box
  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