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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. present — the time now
  5. present — there
  6. cue — a hint
  7. cue — for pool
  8. lean — to bend
  9. track — to keep track
  10. hand — in cards
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. track — a song
  13. wake — a trail
  14. lean — thin
  15. cue — a signal
  16. perch — the fish
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. hand — help
  21. lie — to recline
  22. track — a path
  23. present — a gift
  24. lie — an untruth

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