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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. wind — moving air
  3. mate — a partner
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. rock — a stone
  11. lie — to recline
  12. season — of the year
  13. saw — the tool
  14. mate — to breed
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. bass — the fish
  17. season — in sport
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. rock — music
  20. saw — the tool
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. wind — moving air
  23. bass — low music
  24. mate — a friend

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