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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. suit — in cards
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. scale — in music
  11. scale — size or range
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. rush — hurry
  16. plane — a tool
  17. wax — to grow
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — to recline
  20. suit — clothes
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. wound — an injury
  23. suit — to fit
  24. wound — an injury

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