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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. rock — a stone
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. band — a ring
  6. mug — a cup
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. rock — music
  9. mate — a partner
  10. suit — to fit
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. mate — to breed
  13. wake — a trail
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. suit — clothes
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. mug — a face
  18. bark — to shout
  19. band — a music group
  20. mate — a friend
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. mug — to rob
  23. suit — in cards
  24. lie — to recline

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