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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 120 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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. ball — a great time
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. bear — the animal
  6. prune — to trim
  7. pass — a permit
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. staff — employees
  10. bass — low music
  11. prune — to trim
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bass — the fish
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. lie — to recline
  16. staff — employees
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. bear — the animal
  22. ball — a dance
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. staff — a stick

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