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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. rest — what's left
  3. suit — to fit
  4. suit — in cards
  5. cell — a phone
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. drill — the tool
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — to recline
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. rest — a break
  13. firm — decided
  14. plane — a tool
  15. firm — a company
  16. suit — clothes
  17. drill — army training
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. firm — steady
  20. cell — in biology
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. rest — what's left
  24. wave — with your hand

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