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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. fall — to drop
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. lie — to recline
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. squash — to crush
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. suit — in cards
  10. roll — a cake
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. suit — to fit
  14. fall — the season
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. suit — clothes
  21. roll — a list
  22. squash — the sport
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. fall — to drop

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