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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 120 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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. ball — a dance
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. race — the arms race
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. rule — a law
  11. track — to keep track
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. prune — to trim
  14. track — a path
  15. rule — government
  16. wax — to grow
  17. prune — to trim
  18. race — humankind
  19. track — a song
  20. race — a contest
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. lean — to bend
  23. ball — a great time
  24. lean — thin

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