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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. mark — a trace
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. perch — the fish
  7. rest — a break
  8. tube — a container
  9. rest — what's left
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. deal — to handle
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. mark — a grade
  22. rest — what's left
  23. tube — the underground
  24. pitcher — a jug

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