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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. last — finally
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. pitch — completely
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. content — the amount
  13. pop — soda
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. content — happy
  16. pop — music
  17. perch — the fish
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. pop — to visit
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. last — to go on
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. last — final

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