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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. spell — letters
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. ball — a great time
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. clip — a video
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. clip — for paper
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. spell — magic
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. clip — to cut
  21. lie — to recline
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. spell — a short time
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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