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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. rash — a series
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. lie — to recline
  8. present — a gift
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bass — the fish
  12. present — the time now
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bass — low music
  18. rash — hasty
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. drill — army training
  23. drill — the tool
  24. present — there

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